By Emma Berry
History made and a track record broken. No horse had ever won at three Dubai World Cup meetings but that all changed on Saturday as Vazirabad (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) came with his customary late charge to snatch a third consecutive G2 Dubai Gold Cup.
One of few older horses in training for his breeder the Aga Khan, the 6-year-old must nevertheless be one of the favourites and certainly the current highest earner, with his 14 career wins and five runner-up finishes from just 21 races having amassed a little more than $3 million.
A ferocious early pace laid down by the Godolphin duo of Frontiersman (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Red Galileo (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) played right into the hands of Christophe Soumillon, who had settled Vazirabad in his favoured spot towards the rear of the 16-strong field, allowing him to to pick off opponents one by one as he started to wind up for his challenge within the final half-mile.
Despite the track record being lowered to 3m 17.92s, Soumillon considered that some ease in the going had helped Vazirabad. He said, “The ground was quite soft today and the pace was very strong so my horse was able to run the last 400 [metres] very quickly. He gave me a good turn of foot and he was just stopping in the last 100 metres. Today I just wanted to give him the best race possible. I was very confident in the back straight because I was behind William Buick and I thought he was on one of the horses who would be hard to beat in the race [Rare Rhythm], but unfortunately for me when we got to the last bend he wasn't going that well so I was just thinking about where I was going now and was on the inside for a few strides and then finally my horse saw the other horses going well in front and he just wanted to catch them.”
With Soumillon bringing Vazirabad off the rail to run down the tiring early leaders, Sheikhzayedroad (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the elder statesman of the field at nine, chased him all the way to the line to take second, while Rare Rhythm, who beat the winner last time out in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy, also made late headway to finish third, the best of the five Godolphin runners.
Soumillon believes there is yet more to come from Vazirabad, who has also won three Group I races in his home country. He said, “It's a great moment to do it three times in a row—he's making history and that's a great feeling. I hope he is going to do even more in the future. He is always waiting for something and there is always another gear, so I hope he might be back here next year. Why not make even more history?”
Before a return to Dubai is considered, Vazirabad's trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre has already indicated that a stab at the Ascot Gold Cup in June is on the cards. But with four consecutive wins for the trainer at the Dubai World Cup meeting, the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic victory of Dolniya (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}) having preceded Vazirabad's hat-trick, it seems likely that Meydan in March will remain inked in his calendar.
He said, “It was a good performance but we were sure he was much better than in other years. He was more relaxed before he went into the stalls and there was a lot of pace in the race—he needs that. In the preparation race we had no pace and he was too far back but today it was perfect for him. He likes to come from behind. We have the chance to come here year after year, and every year we learn what we have to do.”
Pedigree notes
The top-rated runner for his sire, the former Horse of the Year Manduro, Vazirabad is out of the Jean-Luc Lagardere-bred G3 Prix de Flore winner Visorama (Ire) Linamix (Fr), a half-sister to eight winners including Varenar (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), who was trained by de Royer-Dupre to win the G1 Prix de la Foret, and G2 Prix Greffuhle winner Visindar (GB) (Sinndar {Ire}).
Prior to Vazirabad, Visorama's best runner had been the Group 3-placed listed winner Visoriyna (Fr) (Dansili {GB}), and with three fallow years after producing her talented stayer, she now has a 2-year-old colt by Sinndar (Ire) and a Charm Spirit (Ire) yearling colt. She was covered in 2017 by the Aga Khan Studs' young sire Dariyan (Fr).
Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI GOLD CUP (SPONSORED BY AL TAYER MOTORS)-G2, $1,000,000, MEY, 3-31, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 3200mT, 3:17.92 (NTR), gd.
1–VAZIRABAD (FR), 127, g, 6, by Manduro (Ger)
1st Dam: Visorama (Ire) (GSW & G1SP-Fr, $181,397),
by Linamix (Fr)
2nd Dam: Visor, by Mr. Prospector
3rd Dam: Look, by Spectacular Bid
O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR);
T-Alain de Royer-Dupre; J-Christophe Soumillon. $600,000.
Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo & Older Horse-Fr at 14f+, MG1SW-
Fr, 21-14-5-0, $3,633,875. *1/2 to Visoriyna (Fr) (Dansili {GB}),
SW & MGSP-Fr, $139,138. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sheikhzayedroad (GB), 127, g, 9, Dubawi (Ire)–Royal Secrets
(Ire), by Highest Honor (Fr). O-Mohammed Jaber; B-Rabbah
Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-David Simcock. $200,000.
3–Rare Rhythm (GB), 127, g, 6, Dubawi (Ire)–Demisemiquaver
(GB), by Singspiel (Ire). (650,000gns yrl '13 TATOCT)
O-Godolphin; B-Highclere Stud & Floors Farming (GB);
T-Charlie Appleby. $100,000.
Margins: 1, NK, 1. Also Ran: Frontiersman (GB), Gold Star (GB), Red Galileo (GB), Parviz (Ire), Prince of Arran (GB), Natural Scenery (GB), Janszoon (GB), Al Sahem (SAf), Big Orange (GB), Run Time, Los Barbados (Ire), Dal Harraild (GB), Torcedor (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.
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