NEWS
Vale of York, Midshipman to bypass Dubai races
Posted: Sunday, March 21, 2010 5:29 PM
Godolphin’s Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Vale of York (Ire) and U.S. champion Midshipman will miss races on the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) undercard on March 27 at Meydan Racecourse.
Vale of York will miss the $2-million S & M Al Naboodah Group United Arab Emirates Derby (UAE-G2) due to colic, and Midshipman will bypass the $1-million Etisalat Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2) because of a reoccurrence of the soft tissue injury he sustained while training in early 2008 at Godolphin’s Al Quoz training stables.
“Unfortunately, Vale of York has suffered from colic and will not be able to run in the UAE Derby at Meydan,” Godolphin Racing Manager Simon Crisford said.
“We hope that Vale of York makes a full recovery soon, but obviously right now, all future plans are on hold for him.”
The three-year-old Invincible Spirit colt finished fifth to stablemate Mendip in the Derrinstown Stud Bahri Al Bastakiya, the second leg of the United Arab Emirates Triple Crown, on March 4 at Meydan in his sophomore debut. The race marked his first start since winning the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile by a head at 30.60-to-1 odds from Lookin At Lucky, a leading contender for the U.S. classics, on November 7 at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park.
Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Vale of York has three victories, one second, and one third in seven career starts and earnings of $1,158,686. Winner of a stakes in England last summer, he has also been competitive at the group level in Europe, finishing second in the Gran Criterium (Ity-G1) and third in the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (Eng-G2) at Ascot in consecutive starts prior to the Breeders’ Cup.
Midshipman, winner of the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Del Mar Futurity (G1) en route to divisional honors, was sidelined for more than ten months before returning to win an optional claiming race last September at Belmont Park. The race preceded a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Santa Anita.
The four-year-old Unbridled’s Song colt shipped to Dubai for the winter and finished fourth in the Invasor Shadwell Farm Maktoum Challenge-Round 1 (UAE-G3) in January before winning a conditions race by 3¼ lengths on February 25 in his most recent start.
“It’s a great shame he has had this setback as we had been so pleased with his last run,” Crisford said of Midshipman, who has five wins, one second, and one third in eight career starts and $1,584,600 in earnings. He also finished second 2008 Norfolk Stakes (G1) during his championship campaign.
