Charlie Appleby won the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas in 2014 with Long John (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}), and the Godolphin trainer looks to repeat that pattern in Thursday's renewal of that Dubai Classic with Gold Town (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}). Coming off a Newmarket handicap score on Aug. 12, Gold Town was an easy 4 1/4-length winner of the first heat of the Guineas trial over a furlong shorter here in his first try on dirt on Jan. 25, and given he is by the Dubai World Cup-winning sire, the added distance shouldn't prove a problem.
“We were both delighted and impressed with Gold Town's dirt debut and we are very hopeful the extra 200 metres in the Guineas will suit him,” Appleby said. “If he can run to the same level as when winning the trial, he will hopefully be hard to beat.”
In the second heat of the Guineas trial, El Chapo (GB) (Lethal Force {Ire}) defeated Saeed bin Suroor's Racing Country (Ire) by a half-length in a time about a second slower than Gold Town's race. El Chapo was making his first start as a gelding there for trainer and co-owner Fawzi Nass after being bought out of the Tattersalls Autumn sale.
“We thought he would run well,” Nass said. “I could not have been happier when he won. Obviously, this is a better race but the extra distance should suit him and we are again hoping he runs well.”
The maiden Racing Country returns to the dirt after struggling home eighth in last week's Meydan Classic Trial. Bin Suroor said, “He disappointed on the turf last week, but back on dirt he should run much better and the 1600 metres will be in his favour.”
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