Choisya Denies Romantic Style in Cape Verdi Stakes

There are new names on the roll of honor for the Jan. 17 Cape Verdi Stakes (G2T) after Choisya  upset favorite Romantic Style  at Meydan Racecourse.

The new etchings are that of father and son duo Simon and Ed Crisford, who have trained the 5-year-old for all her 18 starts. The daughter of Night of Thunder  only had four to beat, but they included French group 3 winner and 2024 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1) fourth Romantic Style from the Godolphin barn. The Charlie Appleby trainee was making her 4-year-old debut in the one-mile Cape Verdi.

Romantic Style could find little in the straight, however, as Choisya extended the lead she had held for the whole race under jockey Mickael Barzalona, cruising home by five lengths for her sixth career success.

Barzalona had won this race twice before, but wins don't come much easier than this and he was phlegmatic afterward.

"I got an easy lead in front; it felt like a French race," he said. "When I asked her to pick up she did it very well.

"It would have been better to have a lead but all of the others had the instructions to take back; sometimes it is lucky to have horses who are versatile like she is."

Romantic Style was second over longshot Easywithme  in third.

Choisya, owned by Mohammed Al Nabouda, is now likely to line up in the 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8-mile) Balanchine (G2T) Feb. 21.