Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) continued his post-gelding renaissance at Meydan on Thursday when recording his second straight group win at the carnival in the G2 Al Rashidiya S. The 5-year-old homebred had previously appeared talented but frustrating. He broke his maiden first-out at two, three weeks before finishing second to Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) in the G3 Greenham S. and fifth in both the G1 2000 Guineas and G3 Jersey S. After picking up further black-type when second in Turkey's G2 International Topkapi Trophy, Dream Castle made four starts at last year's carnival, his best performance being a third behind Jungle Cat (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) in the G2 Al Fahidi Fort. Gelded after a 35-length beating in the G3 Burj Nahaar in March, he was making his reappearance when winning the G3 Singspiel S. on the carnival's opening card on Jan. 3 over this trip.
Dream Castle and Christophe Soumillon were tucked in third and off the fence down the backstretch in a field dominated by Godolphin runners, and it was apparent turning for home on the heels of Bay Of Poets (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) that Soumillon had tons of horse. Dream Castle duly obliged, promptly mowing down that rival and drawing off to win by three lengths as he pleased from his Saeed bin Suroor stablemates Leshlaa (Street Cry {Ire}) and Racing History (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}).
“He has changed a lot [from winning the Singspiel] and was more speedy today,” said Soumillon. “His action is more smooth and he can still improve on that one. His performance today was lovely and he can be a horse for Godolphin for Dubai World Cup night, that is for sure.”
Pedigree Notes
Dream Castle is the second foal and first black-type horse for the G2 Flying Childers S. winner Sand Vixen (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is herself a half to the Listed Carnarvon S. winner and Greenham third So Will I (GB) (Inchinor {GB}). Sand Vixen had a bit of poor luck post Dream Castle; her following Exceed and Excel (Aus) colt died as a 2-year-old, after which she was barren. She produced colts in 2017 and 2018, however, by Dawn Approach (Ire) and Dark Angel (Ire).
Thursday, Meydan, Dubai
AL RASHIDIYA SPONSORED BY EMIRATES GLOBAL ALUMINIUM-G2, $250,000, Meydan, 1-24, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1800mT, 1:48.24, gd.
1–DREAM CASTLE (GB), 126, g, 5, by Frankel%20(GB)#tot">Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Sand Vixen (GB), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Fur Will Fly (GB), by Petong (GB)
3rd Dam: Bumpkin (GB), by Free State (Ire)
O-Godolphin; B-Darley (GB); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Christophe
Soumillon. $150,000. Lifetime Record: 12-3-2-1, $471,722.
Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Leshlaa, 126, h, 5, Street Cry (Ire)–Vine Street (Ire), by
Singspiel (Ire). O-Godolphin; B-Darley (GB); T-Saeed bin
Suroor. $50,000.
3–Racing History (Ire), 126, h, 7, Pivotal (GB)–Gonbarda (Ger),
by Lando (Ger). O-Godolphin; B-Darley (IRE); T-Saeed bin
Suroor. $25,000.
Margins: 3, NO, 1HF.
Also Ran: Blair House (Ire), Euginio (Ire), Deauville (Ire), First Contact (Ire), Bay of Poets (Ire), Arod (Ire).
Click for the Emirates Racing chart. VIDEO.
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