The Meydan card on Thursday plays host to three group races over the turf, and the first race is the $175,000 G2 Meydan Sprint over 1000 metres. Won in 2017 by Ertijaal (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) for Sheikh Hamdan, the now 7-year-old gelding is back for another crack and faces five rivals in a small but select field. The Ali Rashid Al Rayhi-trained runner completed the trifecta in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night last March, and made a winning return in the Longines Ladies La Grande Classique handicap on Jan. 11, winning by a half-length over the reopposing Hit the Bid (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who came back and won a course and distance handicap on Feb. 8. Shadwell is also represented by the resuming Fityaan (GB) (Haafhd {GB}), who is resuming after over a year on the bench.
Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) makes his 4-year-old debut for Charlie Appleby. Victorious in the G2 Gimcrack S. as a juvenile, the MG1SP 4-year-old scooped the G3 Pavilion S. as a sophomore before his last appearance, when he saluted the judge by a half-length in the G3 Bengough S. at Ascot in October.
“He has been training very well and we are delighted with him,” Appleby told the Meydan notes team. “The Al Quoz Sprint which is now over 1200m is his main target, but we think he has the natural speed for 1000m.”
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