Naval powers into Classic picture with Meydan victory
Naval Power led home a Charlie Appleby one-two-three in the Jumeirah Classic as he kicked off his three-year-old campaign at Meydan.
The Moulton Paddocks handler dominated the top of the market in the nine-furlong Listed event and it was the Mickael Barzalona-ridden One Nation who set the fractions and looked at one stage to have slipped the field before he was hunted down by the 1-2 favourite close home.
Highbank picked up the bronze medal to complete a clean sweep of the podium for owners Godolphin and the Newmarket trainer, who was winning the race for the fifth time in six years.
The victory was the perfect way for Naval Power to get back on track following a disappointing showing in the Dewhurst in his final start at two.
🔵 A @godolphin 1-2-3 as the classy Naval Power bounces back to his best with a smooth display in the Jumeirah Classic Presented by Longines for William Buick & Charlie Appleby#DWCCarnival | #DWC23 | #RacingDubai pic.twitter.com/vyAOMH8aY2
— Dubai Racing Club (@RacingDubai) January 27, 2023
“It’s quite testing conditions out there tonight, so you’re never quite sure how it will go – especially with these three-year-olds,” said winning rider William Buick.
“But it was a competitive race and the second and third set a good standard, so I was really pleased with him there. I do think he is better on slightly better ground as well.”
The Teofilo colt will now head back home where he will take in a 2000 Guineas trial before a possible tilt at the opening classic of the season – for which he was cut to 16-1 from 25s with Coral.
Buick gave his nod of approval to both the plan and the horse’s Classic credentials post race.
He added: “It’s a tested and proven route and he’s definitely of that calibre.”
Saeed bin Suroor’s Mawj (9-4) just held on in an all-Godolphin finish to the Jumeirah Fillies Classic.
The Duchess of Cambridge Stakes winner, who was last seen finishing third in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes, was always to the fore in her first attempt at seven furlongs and showed real toughness to hold off 8-11 favourite Dream Of Love – who having been anchored at the back of the field rounding the home bend, flew up the Meydan straight to be denied by just short head.
The winner will now be upped to a mile for her next start in the Jumeirah Fillies Guineas on February 24.
“She ran well,” said Bin Suroor. “It was a first start for her on softer ground and there was a question mark before she ran, but we gave her the chance.
“I said to the jockey ‘just keep her handy if you can’ and next time we will have to go up to a mile for the Jumeirah Guineas. So far she has done well and she will improve from this race.
“She’s a good filly but she’s tiny, like I said last year. Since she has come to Dubai she has grown a little bit, but she still needs time. She started over six furlongs, now she has won over seven and next we will try a mile and we will see. She is a nice filly, a tough filly and she always tries hard.”
There was a rare winner in Dubai for Gordon Elliott when Coachello (20-1) struck in the Listed Dubai Stakes over six furlongs, while in the evening’s feature race on the dirt, former Roger Varian inmate Prince Eiji scooped Group Three honours for Doug Watson and rider Sam Hitchcott in the Firebreak Stakes.
