Thursday's G3 Dubawi S. included two veteran victors of the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, but it was Godolphin's relative young gun Comicas who overwhelmed those and four others to earn a first black-type win. Second in the Listed Meydan Classic here two years ago at three, Comicas returned for last year's carnival after being gelded and won a six-furlong handicap in February before eventually finishing second behind Mind Your Biscuits (Posse) in a rare muddy renewal of the Shaheen. Comicas made two starts over the turf in Britain over the summer, finishing a respectable third in the G2 Clipper Logistics S. in May before struggling home 13th of 19 in Royal Ascot's G1 Diamond Jubilee S. Off for six months thereafter, Comicas made his return when second, six lengths behind the 9-year-old Muarrab (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB})-winner of the 2016 Shaheen–in the Listed Garhoud Sprint on Dec. 21. It was Muarrab who dueled for the early lead with Yalta (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) on Thursday, with Comicas not far off on the outside and the other Shaheen winner, the 12-year-old Reynaldothewizard (Speightstown), being scrubbed on at the tail of the field down the backstretch. Yalta, Muarrab and My Catch (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) made it a line across the track rounding the bend with Comicas three lengths in arrears and Reynaldothewizard still detached at the back. The top three continued to do battle, with Yalta the first to yield on the rail, and as they approached the furlong mark Comicas came steaming down the middle of the track. Comicas drew even with Muarrab passing the 100 as My Catch faded, and Godolphin's chestnut sprinted past to post a convincing win. Fan favourite Reynaldothewizard, meanwhile, made an eye-catching late run on the inside after looking hopelessly beaten early, getting up to grab third. There was speculation pre-race that Reynaldothewizard was making his last run, by trainer Satish Seemar suggested later he could again target the Golden Shaheen.
Pedigree Notes…
Comicas is out of the Listed Indian Maid H. winner and GIII Gardenia S. second Abby's Angel, herself a granddaughter of the Grade III winner and producer Miss Caerleona (Fr) (Caerleon). This is also the family of the Group 2-winning siblings Bonfire (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) and Joviality (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Abby's Angel has had little luck since producing Comicas; her 2014 Elusive Quality colt failed to win in six tries, after which she was barren to the same sire. She aborted a Speightstown foal in 2016 and produced a dead foal by Candy Ride (Arg) in 2017. She was not mated for 2018. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Thursday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAWI S. SPONSORED BY BOREALIS-G3, $175,000, MEY, 1-18, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1200m, 1:12.44, ft.
1–COMICAS, 126, g, 5, by Distorted Humor
1st Dam: Abby's Angel (SW & GSP-US, $152,671), by Touch Gold
2nd Dam: Miss Kilroy, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Miss Caerleona (Fr), by Caerleon
1ST STAKES WIN. O-Godolphin; B-Darley (KY); T-Charlie
Appleby; J-William Buick. $105,000. Lifetime Record: G1SP-
UAE & GSP-Eng, 14-4-4-2, $705,468.
2–Muarrab (GB), g, 6, Oasis Dream (GB)">Oasis Dream (GB)–Licence To Thrill (GB),
by Wolfhound. (280,000gns yrl '10 TATOCT) O-Sheikh Hamdan
bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Stratford Place Stud (GB); T-A R Al
Rayhi. $35,000.
3–Reynaldothewizard, 126, g, 12, Speightstown–Holiday
'TDN Rising Star' Runner, by Meadowlake. ($400,00 yrl '07 KEESEP;
$775,000 2yo '08 FTFFEB) O-Zabeel Racing International, Corp;
B-Gibraltar Group Lp; T-Satish Seemar. $17,500.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1, HF.
Also Ran: My Catch (Ire), Yalta (Ire), Raven's Corner (Ire), Nawwaar (GB). Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.
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