By Heather Anderson
Godolphin homebred First Conquest (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) made it three wins on the bounce after claiming the G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes sponsored by Emaar at Meydan on Friday. The victory was the 12th for a Godolphin runner in the race named after one of their former top-liners, who sired only one crop of foals before succumbing to grass sickness.
Allowed to be the rear marker as Dolayli (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) led the way out of the chute and onto the backstretch, the bay proved a touch keen for the first half-mile. First Conquest remained last while in a good rhythm until William Buick said go 600 metres from home and the gelding soon swung seven deep into the stretch. He steamed up the center of the course with a burst of late speed to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road), who had taken over for the pacesetter in the lane. Highbank (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) was 1 1/2 lengths back in third.
“I wanted to ride him like Mickael [Barzalona] did last time, that's how he likes to be ridden,” said Buick. “The pace wasn't strong by any means and when the rail is out like that it's hard to come from the back, so he's done very well.
“He's a horse really going up the grades.”
A maiden winner at Newmarket last April, he found his way again with a pair of handicap victories two starts later at that course in June and July. Given some time off, he re-emerged to take a Meydan handicap by open lengths on Jan. 10, before testing the waters at group level on Friday, and coming through with flying colours.
Pedigree Notes
Darley's Teofilo now has 118 stakes winners (68 group) with the victory of First Conquest on Friday. He has 24 Group/Grade 1 winners worldwide, and the cross of Teofilo with a Dubawi mare has yielded the likes of G1 Melbourne Cup hero Without A Fight (Ire), as well as Group 2 winners Eternal Hope (Ire) and Naval Power (GB). First Conquest is the third Group 3 winner for this cross after Taany (Ire) and Tantheem (GB).
Dubawi (Ire) mare Patroness (GB) hit pay dirt with her first two foals–G1 Jebel Hatta hero and G1 Caulfield Stakes second Blair House (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and listed winner Key Victory (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire})–and First Conquest arrived as foal number eight. Overall, the placed mare has seven winners to her credit from nine runners. Her latest progeny is 2-year-old Picture Palace (Ire) (Pinatubo {Ire}), who has yet to race. Patroness is herself a full-sister to the late G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner and sire Poet's Voice (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Friday, Meydan, Middle East
DUBAI MILLENNIUM STAKES (SPONSORED BY EMAAR)-G3, AED700,000, Meydan, 1-31, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:00.69, gd.
1–FIRST CONQUEST (GB), 127, g, 4, by Teofilo (Ire)
1st Dam: Patroness (GB), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Bright Tiara, by Chief's Crown
3rd Dam: Expressive Dance, by Riva Ridge
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB);
T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. AED420,000. Lifetime
Record: 6-4-0-0, AED810,995. *1/2 to Blair House (Ire) (Pivotal
{GB}), G1SW-UAE, G1SP-Aus, $588,444; and a full to Key
Victory (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), SW-Eng, $144,058. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Cairo (Ire), 127, h, 5, Quality Road–Cuff (Ire), by Galileo (Ire).
O-Refai Alghraiban; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Alice Haynes.
AED140,000.
3–Highbank (Ire), 127, g, 5, Kingman (GB)–Bristol Bay (Ire), by
Montjeu (Ire). 'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE.
(750,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT; AED850,000 HRA '24 EMI MAR).
O-Hamdan Sultan Al Subousi; B-Lynch Bages & Camas Park
Stud (IRE); T-Simon & Ed Crisford. AED70,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1HF, HD.
Also Ran: Asaassi (Fr), Stormy Ocean (GB), See Hector (Ger), Mozart (Den), Hans Andersen (GB), Dolayli (Fr). Scratched: Sean (Ger). Click for the ERC chart & video.
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