Dubawi's Benbatl Takes The Dubai Turf

Sheikh Mohammed's son Sheikh Zayed accepts the trophy | Coady

Saeed Bin Suroor had sounded confident before the G1 Dubai Turf that his Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) had the class to be a win contender, despite a last-out defeat to Blair House (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) in the G1 Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday and the trainer's confidence was justified in no uncertain terms when the 4-year-old strode to a clear-cut success in the $6-million contest. It was the first top-level win for Benbatl and unlike in the Jebel Hatta, when the race didn't go to plan, things panned out very much in the colt's favour on Saturday. The Godolphin- owned winner bounced out from stall five and was settled in second by jockey Oisin Murphy as Janoobi (SAf) (Silvano {Ger}) cut out the early running with Monarchs Glen (GB) (Frankel {GB}) quite headstrong under Frankie Dettori in behind. Murphy didn't panic as Janoobi skipped about four lengths clear with about 500 metres to run and was happy to get a lead for as long as he could. As the pacesetter began to back peddle Murphy seized his opportunity turning into the straight. Benbatl quickly began to put the race to bed and had stretched five lengths clear at the 300 metre marker. The winning margin was reduced to three and a quarter lengths at the line as a trio of Japanese horses tried in vain to reel in the dominant leader. A three-way photo for the minor honours revealed last year's winner Vivlos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) had won the battle for second with Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) and the 2016 winner Real Steel (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) dead-heating for third.

“As a 2-year-old he had class but he was on the weak side so we looked after him,” Bin Suroor said post race. “Now he is a Group 1 winner. Maybe we will take him to Royal Ascot for the [G1] Prince Of Wales's S.” It was at the Royal Meeting last year that Benbatl made his stakes breakthrough when winning the G3 Hampton Court S. and he had began his career only two months previously when earning a TDN Rising Star badge when making an impressive winning debut in Doncaster last April. A third to Eminent (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the G3 Bet365 Craven S. at Newmarket and a second to Permian (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the G2 Betfred Dante S. encouraged connections to let him take his chance in the G1 Investec Derby at Epsom. A far from disgraced fifth place, 3 1/2 lengths behind Wings Of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}), followed before he benefitted from the drop in class at Royal Ascot. Like everything else in the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. he was put in his place by Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and then finished up the season with a tame effort when fifth in the G3 Superior Mile at Haydock in September. Benbatl has thrived since landing in Dubai and resumed his progress with wins in the G3 Singspiel S. in January and the G2 Al Rashidiya in February before tactics played a part in his defeat in the Jebel Hatta.

For winning jockey Oisin Murphy it was a sweet victory and he said, “This is what jockeys dream of. I must be the luckiest 22-year-old in the world and I am very fortunate to ride such a talented horse. Things went wrong last time but thanks to Saeed [Bin Suroor] and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed for letting me keep the ride. He picked up great. He is a very talented colt who has been managed very well. The best is yet to come.”

Pedigree Notes…

Homebred by Darley, Benbatl is certainly bred for greatness being by the brilliant Dubawi (Ire) out of GI Flower Bowl Invitational and G1 Qatar Prix de l'Opera winner Nahrain (GB) (Selkirk {GB}). Benbatl is the first of four foals out of the mare and the only runner to date. He is a grandson of Bahr (GB) (Generous {Ire}), who won the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot as well as being twice Classic-placed when making the frame in both the G1 Epsom and Irish Oaks. In addition to Nahrain, Bahr is also the dam of the dual stakes winner Baharah (Elusive Quality), while further down the pedigree crops up the Australian Group 1 winner Our Rokkii (NZ) (Roc de Cambes {NZ}). Since producing Benbatl Nahrain has given birth to an unraced colt called Ta Allak (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in 2015, and unraced colt called Montzar (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in 2016 and a filly foal by Dubawi (Ire) in 2017. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI TURF (SPONSORED BY DP WORLD)-G1, $6,000,000, MEY, 3-31, NH 4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1800mT, 1:46.02, gd.
1–BENBATL (GB), 126, c, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Nahrain (GB) (Hwt. Filly-Eng at 9.5-11f, G1SW-Fr, GISW-US, GSP-Ire, $267,727), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Bahr (GB), by Generous (Ire)
3rd Dam: Lady of the Sea (GB), by Mill Reef
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. 'TDN Rising Star' O-Godolphin; B-Darley
(GB); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Oisin Murphy. $3,600,000. Lifetime
Record: GSW-Eng, 11-5-2-1, $4,111,888. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Vivlos (Jpn), 121, m, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Halwa Sweet
(Jpn), by Machiavellian. O-Kazuhiro Sasaki; B-Northern Racing
(Jpn); T-Yasuo Tomomichi. $1,200,000.
3-(DH)–Deirdre (Jpn), 121, f, 4, Harbinger (GB)–Reizend (Jpn),
by Special Week (Jpn). (¥21,000,000) O-T Morita; B-Northern
Farm (JPN); T-Mitsuru Hashida. $450,000.
3-(DH)–Real Steel (Jpn), 126, h, 6, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Loves
Only Me, by Storm Cat. O-Sunday Racing Co Ltd; B-Northern
Farm (JPN); T-Yoshito Yahagi. $450,000.
Margins: 3 1/4, NK, DHT. Also Ran: Promising Run, Leshlaa, Crocosmia (Jpn), Neorealism (Jpn), War Decree, Blair House (Ire), Lancaster Bomber, Janoobi (SAf), Trais Fluors (GB), Monarchs Glen (GB), Championship (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.

 

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