'Metal' Finds Plenty at Meydan

Heavy Metal | Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club

The highlight of opening night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 over 1600 metres on dirt, was the Heavy Metal (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) show. Racing for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and trainer Salem bin Ghadayer, the durable gelding brought up a double on the card for the connections, as Frankyfourfingers (Fr) (Sunday Break {Jpn}) took out the $135,000 1900-metre handicap earlier on the card. The popular MG1SW Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) ran second.

Establishing a half-length lead from the bell up the inside, Heavy Metal (GB) was on cruise control under Mickael Barzalona. That Godolphin rival was stuck wide through the early going before clawing his way into second a quarter-mile from the winning post, still well off the fence. Heavy Metal began to shake loose in upper stretch and eventually crossed the wire 4 1/2 lengths to the good of Thunder Snow, with third place North America (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) a further 7 1/2 lengths behind.

“These conditions really suit him and he has done nothing but improve, especially over the last year,” Barzalona said. “He relishes this dirt surface and is showing on the track what he has displayed to us in his work at home in the mornings. He has always worked like a very good horse and has such a great, willing, attitude. He is easy to ride. We had a good draw and he broke well, so I was always going to go to the front and he enjoys those positive tactics. It has been a very good evening for the whole team and long may it continue throughout the year.”

“He jumped out quite okay,” Soumillon said of the runner-up. “I was quite happy with my position. For the distance today, with that pace, it was probably a bit short for him, but he finished the race quite well. It's encouraging for the future. He gave me a good effort in the straight and he's a horse who needs to be 100% fit and wasn't today. The big target is in the future in a few more weeks and we're going to see much better next time.”

A winner of England's G2 Richmond S. in 2012, Heavy Metal struck three times over track and trip in 2017, including in the G3 Burj Nahaar on Super Saturday last march. Only eighth in the G2 Godolphin Mile on Mar. 25, he warmed up for this appearance with a track and trip victory in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile on Dec. 21.

 

Pedigree Notes…

By successful reverse shuttler Exceed And Excel (Aus), Heavy Metal is the best of two winners from three to race out of Rock Opera, who won the G1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship in her native South Africa. She is responsible for a trio of colts as her latest produce: unraced sophomore Night Castle (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), as well as a juvenile by Invincible Spirit (Ire) and a Shamardal yearling. Rock Opera is a full-sister to South African GSW Hit Song (SAf) (Lecture) and this is also the family of G1 World Cape Flying Championship victor Gulf Storm (SAf) (Sail From Seattle). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

Thursday, Meydan, Middle East
AL MAKTOUM CHALLENGE R1 (PRESENTED BY LONGINES GENTS MASTER COLLECTION)-G2, $250,000, MEY, 1-11, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1600m, 1:37.80, ft.
1–HEAVY METAL (GB), 126, g, 8, by Exceed and Excel (Aus)
1st Dam: Rock Opera (SAf) (G1SW-SAf & SP-UAE, $115,777),
                                by Lecture
2nd Dam: Drummer Girl (SAf), by Al Mufti
3rd Dam: Swinging Girl (SAf), by Mullineaux
O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Darley (GB);
T-Salem bin Ghadayer; J-Mickael Barzalona. $150,000. Lifetime
Record: GSW-Eng, 55-13-8-0, $1,035,704. Werk Nick Rating:

  1. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.

2–Thunder Snow (Ire), 126, c, 4, Helmet (Aus)–Eastern Joy (GB),
by Dubai Destination. O-Godolphin; B-Darley (IRE); T-Saeed bin
Suroor. $50,000.
3–North America (GB), 126, g, 6, Dubawi (Ire)–Northern
Mischief, by Yankee Victor. (100,000gns Wlg '12 TATNOV).
O-Ramzan Kadyrov; B-Qatar Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Satish
Seemar. $25,000.
Margins: 4HF, 7HF, 3 3/4.
Also Ran: Long River, Taamol (Ire), Cosmo Charlie, Confrontation, Fitzgerald.
Click for the Racing Post chart. Emirates Racing Video.

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