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Prince Bishop beats Americans in Dubai World Cup

By Robert Kieckhefer, UPI Racing Writer
Mubtaahij wins Saturday's UAE Derby in Dubai and becomes a candidate for the Kentucky Derby. (Dubai Racing Club photo)
Mubtaahij wins Saturday's UAE Derby in Dubai and becomes a candidate for the Kentucky Derby. (Dubai Racing Club photo)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 28 (UPI) -- Local star Prince Bishop ran by American champion California Chrome in deep stretch in Saturday's $10 million Dubai World Cup and went on to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

The race was the culmination of a glamorous night of racing, featuring stars from around the world. France landed two of the eight Thoroughbred events; the UAE Derby may have turned up one or even two Kentucky Derby prospects; and American speed won the top dirt sprint while the reigning U.S. turf horse was soundly defeated.

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The World Cup, however, was the star of the desert night.

California Chrome, winner of last year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, was forced to go wide on the first turn in the big event, losing ground throughout most of the race, then yielded grudgingly as Prince Bishop went by him at mid-stretch. California Chrome held on gamely for second with another American, Lea, checking in third.

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The top three in the world's richest race were followed by a former American runner, Candy Boy, Japanese dirt champion Hokko Tarumae and last year's winner, African Story.

Prince Bishop, an 8-year-old, Irish-bred gelding by Dubawi, finished ninth in last year's World Cup and was second in the two major prep races for this year's renewal. With William Buick up, the toured Saturday's 2,000 meters, about 1 1/4 miles, on a fast track in 2:03.24.

The winner is owned by Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai, who inherits the trophy from Dubai's ruler and African Story's owner, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. Saeeed bin Suroor trains both Prince Bishop and African Story.

Despite the loss, the outcome was a vindication for Americans who had shunned the race -- or run poorly in it -- during the five years it was run on an all-weather surface. The Meydan Racecourse was switched to a dirt surface for this season's racing. California Chrome's owners said before the race they hope to showcase their horse around the world this year -- on turf as well as dirt -- and said they have been asked to appear as far afield as Royal Ascot and Hong Kong.

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In other action on World Cup night:

Dolniya had been knocking on the door in the biggest races in France and finally walked through to victory in the $6 million, Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic. With jockey Christophe Soumillon scoring the first of two wins on the night, the 4-year-old filly kicked away from some of the world's top stayers through the final 200 meters to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Flintshire, winner of the Longines Hong Kong Vase in December, chased the winner home in second position with last year's Group 1 Japanese Derby winner, One And Only, third. Hong Kong champion Designs On Rome could do no better than fourth while American champion Main Sequence saw a five-race winning streak end, fading badly through the stretch to finish seventh. Dolniya, owned the Aga Khan and trained by Alain De Royer-Dupre, ran 2,4010 meters, or just over 1 1/2 miles, in 2:28.29. Dolniya finished third in last fall's Group 1 Prix Vermille at Longchamp and followed that with a close-up fifth in the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe -- a race in which Flintshire finished second to the great Treve. She won a tune-up race at Chantilly earlier in March. She was bred by the Aga Khan, by Azamour out of the Indian Ridge mare Daltama. Soumillon said the filly's troubles at home stemmed from slow pace. "Finally, the pace was good and it helped a lot," he said.

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Solow exploded from the back of the pack at the top of the lane in the $6 million, Group 1 Dubai Turf and was gone to a 4 1/4-lengths victory with jockey Maxime Guyon celebrating on the way to the finish. English runner The Great Gatsby finished second after initially refusing to load. Mshawish, in from Gulfstream Park in Florida, suffered a bruised foot earlier in the week but recovered enough to finish third. Solow, an outsider in the field of 10, ran 1,800 meters, or about 9 furlongs, on the turf in 1:47.76. Trained in France by Freddie Head, the 5-year-old son of Singspiel, won five of six starts last year and continued his winning ways in his first start of 2015 at Chantilly. Saturday's race, however, was a big jump in class for the imposing grey. "This was a big test for the horse as he had never won in a Group 1 race," Head said. "But I could not have had him better and he has showed what a good horse he is."

Secret Circle, no secret in American circles, held off a late charge by Hong Kong runner Super Jockey to win the $2 million, Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen by a head. Another Hong Kong invader, Rich Tapestry, faded from the lead late and settled for third. Secret Circle, trained by frequent Dubai winner Bob Baffert, won without the silver-haired trainer, who is overseeing two of the top prospects for the May 2 Kentucky Derby. And Victor Espinoza was subbing for regular rider Martin Garcia. But that's all Secret Circle needed to get home in a record 1:10.64 for the 1,200 meters, or about 6 furlongs. "He was very brave at the finish to hang on," Espinoza said. "He's a top class horse. All his American form proves that and he's done the same here." Secret Circle won the 2014 Breeders' Cup Sprint and finished second in last year's edition of the top U.S. dash. But he had been shy on wins in the intervening races. He is a 6-year-old son of Eddington. The race is the second leg of the Global Sprint Challenge, which offers a $1 million bonus for a horse winning three of the 10 races in three different jurisdictions.

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Sole Power, making his fifth straight start on Dubai's biggest night, finally got the job done, rallying down the stands side in the late going to take the $1 million, Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint by 1/2 length over Hong Kong raider Peniaphobia. Green Mask, trained in America by Wesley Ward, ran third. Sole Power, with Richard Hughes up, ran 5 furlongs down the straight turf course in 57.24. The 8-year-old, British-bred gelding had finished seventh in last year's Al Quoz, fifth in 2013, second in 2012 and 14th in 2011. In his lone prep for Saturday's race, he finished 12th in the Group 3 Meydan Sprint over the course and distance, trailing many of those he bested on the big night. "After his last start, I wasn't strong on him," Hughes said, adding trainer Eddie Lynam "has worked on him and whatever he did, paid off. Any winner is special but to win here is great."

An Irish-bred colt, owned by a Dubai sheik, trained by a South African and ridden by a Belgian looks to be headed for the Kentucky Derby after a dominating victory in the $2 million, Group II UAE Derby. Mubtaahij, with Christophe Soumillon aboard, emerged from behind the lead pack when an opening beckoned at the head of the stretch and surged off to win by 8 lengths. The rider never cocked his whip. Maftool was the best of the rest and a Japanese-trained colt, Golden Barrows, was along for third. On a day of quick times over the Meydan dirt, Mubtaahij ran 1,900 meters, or about 1 3/16 miles. "I was just behind the leaders and the pace was good, so I followed it into the straight," Soumillon said. "I was going very easily and as soon as I pressed the button it was all over. In the end, I kept some energy for the future, especially if he goes to the Kentucky Derby." Mubtaahij is owned by Sheik Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum and trained by South African Mike de Kock. Maftool is owned by Godolphin. Mubtaahij had won three of his last four races, all at Meydan, finishing a close second to Maftool in the other. "This horse has given us the chance to go to the Kentucky Derby and that would be just a dream," de Kock said. "That would be very special." Mubtaahij earned 100 qualifying points toward a start in the Run for the Roses, more than enough to secure a position in the starting gate on May 2. Maftool earned 50 points. Both are U.S. Triple Crown nominees.

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Brown Panther quickly moved in from an outside post position, then tracked the pace in the day's longest race, the $1 million, Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup, moved to the lead turning into the long stretch of the Meydan turf course and steadily drew off to win by 3 1/4 lengths in a hand ride by Richard Kingscote. Star Empire rallied up the rail in the final few meters to nip Ahzeemah for second. The 3,200 meters, about 2 miles, took a record 3:18.84. Brown Panther was making his first start since finishing 11th in the Breeders' Cup Turf last fall at Santa Anita. Before that, he won the Group 1 Irish St Leger at the Curragh. Trained by Thomas Dascombe, he was the general favorite for Saturday's race.

Tamarkuz missed the break in the $1 million, Group 2 Godolphin Mile on the new Meydan dirt track, settled on the inside behind the early leaders and still produced a winning move when free to run in the stretch. British raider Sloane Avenue moved right with Tamarkuz in the final 100 meters, battled gamely outside the winner but could not get by, finishing a short head in arrears. Free Wheeling was third and Haatheq fourth. Tamarkuz, a 5-year-old, American-bred son of Speightstown, finished in 1:36.81. Tamarkuz was distracted by his surroundings and not paying attention when the race started, said winning rider Paul Hanagan. But, "He was strongest on the line and it was great winning one of the big ones for 'the boss'." The winner, owned by Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum, notched his fourth straight win of the Dubai meeting. None of the three American runners, Quadrivium, Prayer For Relief and Bradester, was meaningfully involved.

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Manark, under Dane O'Neill, got the evening off to a speedy start with a 2 1/4-lengths, front-running victory in the $1 million Dubai Kahayla Classic for Purebred Arabians. Manark, a 6-year-old, French-bred son of Mahabb, was under pressure most of the way before finally drawing clear. Valiant Boy, an American challenger with eight straight wins on the line, put in a valiant late run under Joel Rosario but stalled in the final 100 meters, settling for second. Razziq was third. Manark finished the 2,000 meters, about 1 1/4 miles, in a course-record 2:16.35.

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