Tag Archive for: Algiers

Algiers to enjoy well-deserved holiday, with long-term Breeders’ Cup aim

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Algiers will be held back for an autumn campaign and could be pointed towards the Breeders’ Cup following Saturday’s fine runner-up effort in the Dubai World Cup.

The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Sharmardal gelding had finished second to Missed The Cut in the Listed Churchill Stakes at Lingfield in November, before winning two Grade Two races over a mile and an extended nine furlongs at Meydan.

Back to a mile-and-a-quarter in the $12million Dubai World Cup, he was running the race of his life under big-race jockey James Doyle, who looked to have his rivals beaten turning in.

However, the 11-4 chance was run down in the final furlong by Ushba Tesoro and just held on for second from Emblem Road.

“He ran his heart out and did us all proud,” said Ed Crisford. “It was a great performance from him and he proved himself among the top dirt horses in the world.

“They just went so quick up front – they were going some serious fractions, and that set it up for the deep closers, but all credit to him to keep going.”

Having tracked Saudi Cup winner Panthalassa and outsiders Remorse and Bendoog, who had set a searching gallop, Doyle set sail for home from the final turn.

After burning them off, Algiers led a furlong and a half out, only for Yuga Kawada aboard the Noboru Tagaki-trained Japanese raider fly past in the final 110 yards.

“All the horses around him stopped fairly quickly,” added Crisford. “I think coming into the straight, we all thought he’d won, but that last furlong was excruciating.

“It wasn’t to be, but he did us all proud. It is great for the team at home. It’s not so bittersweet. If someone had said to me in December, when he had got beaten in a Listed race at Lingfield that he would finish second in a World Cup, I wouldn’t have believed it.

“He has come a long way and he will go on a holiday now.”

The Hamdan Sultan Ali Alsabousi-owned six-year-old has now won just short of £2.5m in prize-money in his 21-race career.

Though winning four of his 14 starts on turf, he has only once finished out of the first two in all seven on artificial surfaces, including three wins, and connections are keen for him to ply his trade in that sphere from now on.

“I don’t think we’ll see him on turf again and I don’t think we will see him until the end of summer at some stage,” added Crisford.

“Obviously it is early days, and we are long way from it, but you’ve got to be potentially thinking of something like a Breeders’ Cup.”

Jadoomi could make his seasonal return at Newbury
Jadoomi could make his seasonal return at Newbury (Donall Farmer/PA)

Meanwhile, the stable’s dual Group Two-winning miler Jadoomi could bid for success at the top level this term.

Having taken Goodwood’s Celebration Mile, Jadoomi followed up in the Boomerang Stakes at Leopardstown in September.

He was last seen when beaten a length and a half by Bayside Boy in the Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot in October.

Crisford said: “Jadoomi is good. He is coming along. His first target would be the Lockinge at Newbury, depending on ground.

“He’s doing nicely and hopefully by mid-May he’ll be ready to go.”

Algiers win would set World in motion in for Crisfords

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Algiers bids to cap a fantastic winter campaign at Meydan by providing Ed and Simon Crisford with a dream success in the Dubai World Cup on Saturday.

It is three years since Ed teamed up with father Simon to become Britain’s first officially licensed training partnership.

Together the pair have already enjoyed notable highs with the likes of Century Dream, Jadoomi and Without A Fight – but victory for Algiers in this weekend’s $12million showpiece would be by far and away their biggest to date.

Ed (left) and Simon Crisford at Epsom
Ed (left) and Simon Crisford at Epsom (John Walton/PA)

“Just to have a runner in race like this is so difficult, so to have a proper live contender with a good chance is fantastic,” said Ed Crisford.

“If we can run well or go and win this race it would be a dream come true, but I think we’ll have to let the horse do the talking now. We can’t do much more, so let’s see what happens.”

Algiers has established himself as a major contender by winning the first two rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge on the Meydan dirt by six and six and a half lengths respectively.

Connections had the option of taking in round three on ‘Super Saturday’, while a tilt at the Saudi Cup was also mooted, but the Crisfords elected to keep their powder dry for the World Cup.

“We’re very pleased with Algiers – his preparation has been great,” Crisford added.

“At the moment we’re happy we decided against running in round three. You’ve got to take these races very seriously and if round three had taken even just one or two per cent away from him running to his full potential in the World Cup, we wouldn’t forgive ourselves.

“He’s fresh and well. He’s had seven weeks between round two and the World Cup, he’s done extremely well for it and we couldn’t be happier going into this race.”

While pleased with his stable star’s condition, Crisford is under no illusions about the task in hand.

Chief among his rivals is last year’s winner Country Grammer, who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori and returns to defend his crown off the back of a second successive narrow defeat in the Saudi Cup.

This year Bob Baffert’s charge was narrowly beaten in Riyadh by Panthalassa, who is again in opposition and heads a formidable Japanese challenge.

Crisford – whose father played an instrumental role in the inauguration of Dubai World Cup night during his time working for Sheikh Mohammed – said: “It’s a very solid race and you have top-class horses from around the world. You have last year’s winner, the Saudi Cup first and second, the Saudi Cup winner from two years ago (Emblem Road) and some proper dirt horses from Japan.

“It is a very deep field, but we’re right up there on ratings and the way he’s been winning, albeit against local horses, has been very impressive.

“He’s drawn in stall 13, but the first three in the betting are very wide in 13, 14 (Country Grammer) and 15 (Panthalassa), so there should be a lot of pace outside.

“Our horse has won twice on the track, so we know he goes on that dirt and that counts for a lot.”

‘All systems go’ for Algiers and Dubai World Cup bid

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Ed Crisford has given the go-ahead to a Dubai World Cup bid for Algiers following his back-to-back victories at Meydan.

Narrowly beaten by George Boughey’s Missed The Cut in the Churchill Stakes at Lingfield in November, Simon and Ed Crisford’s charge has since made a huge impression in two starts on dirt in Dubai – winning the first two rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge in dominant style.

Connections had the option of taking in the Saudi Cup on Saturday week, while round three of the Al Maktoum Challenge on Super Saturday at Meydan on March 4 is an obvious stepping-stone to World Cup night.

However, Ed Crisford confirmed the six-year-old will instead head straight for the Dubai showpiece on March 25.

“He won round two very well and the step up in trip on the dirt was no problem, so it’s all systems go for the World Cup,” he said.

“We took him out of the Saudi Cup as we just felt we’d be better off staying in Dubai and aiming at the big one on World Cup night.

“Round three of the Al Maktoum Challenge is on Super Saturday, but I’d say we’ll swerve that and go straight to the World Cup. He’s had two quite good runs in quick succession, so we can freshen him up and ready him for the big night.”

Crisford expects to have a clearer idea of what Algiers will be up against at Meydan after the Saudi Cup is run in Riyadh.

He added: “I think we’ll find a lot out next weekend in Saudi in terms of what horses are coming. The Japanese and the Americans have some seriously good dirt horses and I think it’ll all come to light after Saudi.

“The World Cup will be a big step up for our horse, but he’s the best horse in the UAE at the moment on the dirt and it’s hugely exciting.”

Crisford added that James Doyle, on board Algiers the last twice, will keep the ride.