Dubai Carnival beads: Championship, Really Special perform up to their names
January 23rd, 2017
Last Thursday’s Dubai Carnival action won’t solve the age-old philosophical argument between realists and nominalists, but it did showcase two horses who ran up to their lofty names.
Championship, in the form of his life right now for Ahmad bin Harmash, bolted up by 3 1/2 lengths in the featured Al Fahidi Fort (G2). Mugged by South African Light the Lights in the Singspiel at about nine furlongs last time, Championship wasn’t about to get caught on the cutback to about seven furlongs here.
The Exceed and Excel gelding took command early, and under an astute ride by Colm O’Donoghue, put the race away with a devastating fifth furlong in :11.14. That put his pursuers, Godolphin’s Flash Fire and South African comebacker Noah from Goa, in an awfully tough spot. They needed Championship to weaken to have any chance of catching him. Instead, he continued with great gusto and crossed the wire in 1:22.82 – just .05 off the course mark set by two-time Al Fahidi Fort champion Safety Check in the 2016 edition.
“Championship had a tough race two weeks ago,” O’Donoghue recounted, “but they have freshened him up and he was in great form tonight.
“I was always happy out in front and he was striding along nicely so I asked him to quicken just after halfway and he found plenty. He just kept responding throughout the straight and that was a good performance in a quality race.”
Flash Fire, who was himself wheeling back two weeks after a course-and-distance handicap win, used that recency edge to beat Noah from Goa for the runner-up spot. The South African star, who had been off for a year, promises to strip much fitter next time.
“He ran through needing it,” trainer Mike de Kock said on his website. “He will improve by the distance he was beaten.”
In fact, I was surprised to see Noah from Goa pop up already at the Carnival. De Kock had initially said we wouldn’t see him until later, thanks to a splint injury he picked up at Newmarket. It’s a very positive sign that de Kock felt he was ready to get started. Hopefully we’ll see “Noah” bring his top-class ability onto the world stage.
Sadly, the international hopes of Turkish celebrity Graystorm didn’t go as well. Dropping back abruptly turning for home, he sustained a spiral fracture in his left front, according to the Emirates Racing Authority stewards’ report. The Turkish Jockey Club revealed that Graystorm underwent surgery, and plans call for him to convalesce in Dubai until the end of March.
A Really Special filly: Although Godolphin’s Really Special wore the so-called second colors in the U.A.E. 1000 Guineas Trial, she was a more compelling prospect than ostensible first-stringer Calare. Bettors accordingly hammered Really Special into favoritism, and she rewarded her backers with a 3 1/4-length triumph in her dirt debut.
Now unbeaten from three starts, on three different surfaces, the Saeed bin Suroor trainee has handled contrasting circumstances with ease. She overcame an almost comical degree of trouble to rally and win going away on debut over Chelmsford’s Polytrack. Really Special had a more straightforward experience when dominating the Montrose Fillies’ Stakes in front-running fashion at Newmarket.
At Meydan, the daughter of Shamardal didn’t appear to be in love with the dirt early. Really Special didn’t break fast, but moved up to stalk on the inside, where she raced a bit keen. Entering the far turn, it wasn’t clear whether she’d march forward or backward, but by the time they cornered into the stretch, Really Special showed that she was determined to get the job done. Deftly splitting pacesetter Rajar and Doug Watson’s Complimenti, she strode away with authority. Calare weakened to fifth.
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