Very Special lived up to her name on Thursday evening at Meydan to defend her Cape Verdi title and hand trainer Saeed bin Suroor his 200th winner at the Dubai World Cup Carnival, as well as a double on the night. A five-length debut maiden winner at two, Very Special hit the board in all three sophomore outings, including a win in a mile Kempton handicap. She excelled on the Dubai lawn last campaign, winning this race first-up before besting Grade I winner Euro Charline (GB) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) by 2 1/2 lengths in the G2 Balanchine S. The task of the G1 Dubai Turf on Dubai World Cup night proved to be a bit out of her reach next out, but Very Special was far from disgraced, beaten three lengths for it all when sixth. Very Special had just one outing last summer in Britain, finishing second to Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in Newmarket's G1 Falmouth S., and came into this fresh once again. Bottled up on the rail as Tahanee (Arg) (Stormy Atlantic) crossed over to set the pace, Very Special was on that one's heels and still pinned to the fence as they turned into the straight. Angled out sharply by Jim Crowley for daylight approaching the 300 metre mark, Very Special had to call on all her reserves to overhaul Opal Tiara, who flashed home on the rail, and Muffri'Ha, who briefly held the lead in the final furlong as Tahanee faded. Silver Step (Fr) (Silver Frost {Ire}) also made progress on the outside to get up for fourth.
Pedigree Notes…
Very Special is a half to the ill-fated Chriselliam, who won the G1 Shadwell Fillies' Mile and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf before losing a battle with a foot infection early as a 3-year-old. Their dam, the placed Danielli, has also produced the graded placed Janicellaine, and is herself out of the GIII Phoenix Sprint S. winner Ingabelle (Ire) (Taufan). Danielli is a half to G1 Premio Lydia Tesio winner Eva's Request (Ire) (Soviet Star) and Priory Belle (Ire) (Priolo), who has produced Kiltubber (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), the dam of G1 Metropolitan H. winner in Australia Opinion (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), as well as Group 3-winning stayer Fox Hunt (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and G3 Concorde S. winner Anam Allta (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Danielli has a 2-year-old filly by Galileo (Ire) and was barren last year after being covered by that champion sire. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Thursday, Meydan, Dubai
CAPE VERDI EMPOWERED BY CEPSA, AN IPIC GROUP COMPANY-G2, $200,000, MEY, 1-26, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:37.21, gd.
1–VERY SPECIAL (IRE), 126, m, 5, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Danielli (Ire), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Ingabelle (Ire), by Taufan
3rd Dam: Bodelle (Ire), by Falcon (GB)
(280,000gns yrl '13 TAOOCT) O-Godolphin; B-Ballylinch Stud
(IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Jim Crowley. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: G1SP-Eng, 10-5-3-1, $635,026. *1/2 to Janicellaine
(Ire) (Beat Hollow {GB}), GSP-US, $124,223; and Chriselliam
(Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), Hwt. 2yo Filly-Eur & Eng, G1SW-Eng &
GISW-US, $729,684.
2–Opal Tiara (Ire), 126, f, 4, Thousand Words (GB)–Zarafa (GB),
by Fraam (GB). (£1,800 yrl '14 BRIDEC; 230,000gns HRA '16
TATNOV) O-The Filly Folly & Sweet Partnership; B-Mike
Channon Bloodstock Ltd & Mrs G H Hedley (IRE); T-Mick
Channon. $40,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
3–Muffri'Ha (Ire), 126, m, 5, Iffraaj (GB)–Grecian Dancer (GB),
by Dansili (GB). (85,000gns yrl '13 TAOOCT) O-Sheikh Juma
Dalmook Al Maktoum; B-Lodge Park Stud; T-William Haggas.
$20,000.
Margins: HF, NK, NK.
Also Ran: Silver Step (Fr), Tahanee (Arg), Via Firenze (Ire), Realtra (Ire), Queen's Parade, Anahita (Fr), Arabda (GB).
Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.
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