A cold and windy night at Meydan Racecourse ended with a shocker Jan. 21 as one of the least heralded of five Godolphin runners simply ran off with a race that had been expected to provide hints to the upcoming Saudi Cup (G1) and the Dubai World Cup (G1).
In a field including the likes of Rebel's Romance and Plus Que Parfait—winners of the 2021 and 2019 editions of the UAE Derby (G2), respectively—Dubai Icon hardly figured to make an impression. But they run the races for a reason and when jockey Pat Cosgrove sent the 6-year-old New Approach horse right to the front in the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4 miles) conditions event, he never looked back.
At the finish, Dubai Icon was in front by 8 1/2 lengths with Remorse second, another nine lengths better than Big Team, another of the Godolphin big team, in third. Rebel's Romance finished eighth and Plus Que Parfait was 12th.
Dubai Icon came into the race with three wins from 13 starts although he did manage a second in the Curlin Stakes Sponsored By New Jaguar F-Pace over the same conditions during last year's Carnival.
Better glimpses of the immediate future may have come from the featured races on the second program of the Carnival—the Al Rashidiya Presented by Riviera Beachfront at Azizi (G2), 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) on the turf, and the Al Fahidi Fort Presented by Mina By Azizi (G2), at 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs).
Desert Fire, a 7-year-old Cape Cross gelding, rallied to the lead 400 meters out in the Al Rashidiya and led a 1-2-3 finish for Godolphin. Royal Fleet and Art du Val were second and third with the venerable and popular Lord Glitters making up ground late to finish fourth. Hector Crouch rode the winner for trainer Saeed bin Suroor.
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Crouch said the Al Rashidiya was "a career best for the horse and for me. They were going pretty fast and I wanted to sit handy. He came on the bridle turning for home and finished well."
The Al Rashidiya could point to the $1 million Neom Turf Cup (G3) in Saudi Arabia in February and/or the $5 million Dubai Turf (G1) on World Cup night.
It was Godolphin again in the Al Fahidi Fort as Naval Crown, a 4-year-old Dubawi colt, kicked into gear in the lane and ground out a professional victory, winning by one length. Eight rivals were spread across the track behind the winner with Story Of Light second narrowly over Zainhom.
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Naval Crown, with William Buick piloting for trainer Charlie Appleby, finished in 1:22.02, a course-record time, while making his first start since July of 2021. He finished second behind stablemate Creative Force in the Jersey Stakes (G3) at Royal Ascot.
The Al Fahidi Fort could be a prep for the $1 million 1351 Turf Sprint (G3) in Riyadh and/or the $1.5 million Al Quoz Sprint (G1) March 26 at Meydan but Appleby indicated Naval Crown is on a different course.
"This is his best trip," he said of the 1,400 meters. "He can get a mile but seven (furlongs) will be his target for this year. We'll go to the conditions race on Super Saturday and then springboard him on to Europe."
Two races on the program were for this year's 3-year-olds—the Jumeirah Derby Trial Presented by Park Avenue by Azizi at 1,800 meters on the turf and the UAE Two Thousand Guineas Trial Presented by Al Furjan By Azizi, run at 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs) on the dirt.
Rawy, a Frosted colt coming off a second-place finish at Jebel Ali just a week earlier, was the whole story in the Derby Trial. With Mickael Barzalona aboard, Rawy shot out of the gate, led the way, and extended the advantage through the stretch to win by two lengths. Quality Boone was second, edging Kiefer.
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Winning trainer Saeed bin Ghadayer said he knew it was "risky to bring him back" on just a week's rest. "But I told the owner if we're thinking about the UAE Two Thousand Guineas (G1), we must run in this race."
Albahr, the favorite in the international wagering, was never involved and finished fifth. The Godolphin runner, whose gate mishap in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Del Mar ignited a furious controversy, was well behaved at the start this time around but, ironically, rival Hear the Drums, reared in the gate and was scratched.
Albahr's performance, said trainer Appleby, "was a bit of a head-scratcher ... We'll go in the Guineas and see what happens."
Godolphin did better in the Guineas Trial as Island Falcon, an Iffraaj colt out of the Dubawi mare Adoringly, outfinished the favorite, stablemate New Kingdom, to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Scandinavian visitor Pjerrot, a Hard Spun colt out of a Tapit mare, led into the stretch and kept trying to finish third.
Island Falcon, with Frankie Dettori up for trainer bin Suroor, got the 1 1/8 miles on good turf in 1:47.58 and could be a candidate either to switch to dirt and aim for the Derby and World Cup or to stay on the green for a campaign in Europe.
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"He has won well in England (as a 2-year-old)," bin Suroor said without tipping his hand. "He's doing good. He's a big, strong colt."
The evening's dirt sprint, the Dubawi Stakes Presented by Riviera by Azizi (G3), was another example of the value of a Jebel Ali prep. Al Tariq, who opened his campaign with a win at Jebel Ali in November, led all the way to a two-length victory in the 1,200-meter (about six furlongs) test.
Al Tariq, a 6-year-old gelding by Oasis Dream, trained by Doug Watson, reported sixth in last year's Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News (G1) before going on vacation.
