NEWS
Godolphin’s Allybar up to the Challenge
Posted: Thursday, February 18, 2010 5:16 PM
ALLYBAR
Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club
To view the Shadwell Estate Maktoum Challenge Round 2, click here.
by Frank Angst
Allybar secured the first group stakes win of his career when he steadily progressed through the stretch to post a victory in the $200,000 Shadwell Estate Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (UAE-G2) on Thursday at Meydan Racecourse.
Jockey Ahmed Ajtebi guided the four-year-old King’s Best colt to victory in the 1,900-meter (9.44-furlong) test.
“He is a horse we like, and I imagine we will come back for the third round of the Maktoum Challenge (UAE-G2) on Super Thursday,” said winning trainer Saeed bin Suroor. Super Thursday, a day of prep races for the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) card, will be on March 4 at Meydan.
Rounding out the top three placings were Crowded House, trained by Brian Meehan, in second; and Godolphin’s Calvados Blues, trained by Suroor, in third.
Allybar improved to two wins in as many starts at Meydan. He secured a victory in a handicap 2,000-meter (9.94-furlong) race there on February 5. Last year he won a stakes and placed in four group stakes while racing in France.
Also on Thursday, South African-based trainer Mike de Kock won the Shadwell Estate, Sakee United Arab Emirates Two Thousand Guineas (UAE-G2) for the fourth time when Musir rallied to victory. (video)
Reigning two-year-old champion male in South Africa, Musir picked up his second straight win at Meydan in the race for Northern Hemisphere three-year-olds and Southern Hemisphere four-year-olds. Australian-bred Musir, who is campaigned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum, is by Redoute’s Choice.
Godolphin’s Frozen Power finished second, the only Northern Hemisphere-bred in the top seven runners. In his first start of the season, Frozen Power also finished second to Musir on February 4 at Meydan. Frozen Power, who is by Oasis Dream (GB), won a stakes race at Deauville last year.
Frank Angst is senior writer for Thoroughbred Times
