By Heather Anderson
Sporting Chance ecked out a gritty score in the Listed Meydan Classic going a mile at Meydan on Thursday and it was the first of two wins on the card for trainer Simon Crisford, who would land the third race with African Ride (GB) (Candy Ride {Arg}). The 3-year-old had won a listed race at Ripon last August followed by the G3 Prix Eclipse at Maisons-Laffitte a month later, and signed off his juvenile year with a fifth as the favourite in the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte on Oct. 13. Off the board in the Dubai Trophy in his Meydan debut Jan 10, he improved to be a solid third in the Meydan Classic Trial over 1400 metres on Jan. 31, but ran fourth after running out of petrol upped to a mile over the Meydan dirt in the Feb. 7 G3 UAE 2000 Guineas behind Godolphin's Estihdaaf (Arch). Not one of the quickest into stride, the dark bay tugged his way up to third under Pat Cosgrave as Victory Command (Ire) (War Command) established a narrow advantage. Fanned three deep to challenge for the lead leaving the bend, he seized command at the 350-metre mark, but had to deal with a rallying Golden Jaguar (Animal Kingdom) along the extreme outside and Irish Trilogy (Ire) (Gregorian {Ire}) was also coming up the inner with a stiff bid. Sporting Chance and SP Golden Jaguar battled for the better part of the stretch, with the former's superior race experience standing him in good stead to salute by a neck. Irish Trilogy was the same distance back in third.
“He's been a credit since he got here,” said Cosgrave. He's improved coming into the race. I took him around and knew that if he stays, he wins. He was fine on the dirt last time (in the Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas). He's a strong traveller and I was wide that day. A credit to the horse for running as well as he did that day, but he's probably better on the grass, which we saw today.”
Added Crisford, “I am really delighted for the horse and I think he put up a great performance. He battled strongly and is such an honest horse who had a good 2-year-old campaign and proved that class again today. At this stage, there are no plans for the horse. It was all about today and he delivered. We will get him back to England and decide on the summer. We love the Carnival. It's hard to win a race anywhere, but especially difficult at the Carnival. Dubai is my second home, so this is a great feeling to have.”
The first foal from the winning Giant's Causeway mare Elpida, the winner is followed by a 2-year-old colt by Champs Elysees (GB) and his dam produced a filly by Ardad (Ire) this winter. This is the same family as G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. hero and late sire Poet's Voice (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a half-brother to Japanese MSW Gold Tiara (Seeking the Gold). Her descendants include Japan Group 3 hero and MG1SP Staphanos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup victress Mozu Katchan (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) is also under the third dam. Sales history: 41,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT; 83,810gns 2yo '18 TATAPR. Lifetime Record: GSW-Fr, SW-Eng, 11-4-1-1, $. Click for the Meydan chart or the Meydan video.
MEYDAN CLASSIC SPONSORED BY MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM CITY DISTRICT ONE-Listed, $175,000, Meydan, 2-28, 3yo, 1600mT, 1:38.31, gd.
1–SPORTING CHANCE (GB), 126, c, 3, by Kodiac (GB)
1st Dam: Elpida, by Giant's Causeway
2nd Dam: Swan Nebula, by Seeking the Gold
3rd Dam: Bright Tiara, by Chief's Crown.
(41,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT; ,88,000 2yo '18 TATABR). O-Mr
Abdulla Al Mansoori; B-Ropsley Bloodstock & St Albans
Bloodstck (GB); T-Simon Crisford; J-Pat Cosgrave. $105,000.
Lifetime Record: SW-Eng, GSW-Fr, 11-4-1-1, $320,248.
2–Golden Jaguar, 126, c, 3, Animal Kingdom–Golden Sunray, by
Crafty Prospector. ($90,000 RNA Ylg '17 KEESEP; $60,000 2yo
'18 OBSAPR). O-Phoenix Ladies Syndicate; B-William J Betz &
Peter V Lamantia (KY); T-Ahmad bin Harmash. $35,000.
3–Irish Trilogy (Ire), 126, g, 3, Gregorian (Ire)–Maya De La Luz
(GB), by Selkirk. (€5,000 2yo '17 GOFFEB). O-360 North Horse
Racing AB; B-Mrs Clive O'Connor (IRE); T-Andrew Kidney.
$17,500.
Margins: NK, NK, NK.
Also Ran: Shanty Star, Nayslayer (Ire), Good Fortune (GB), Prince Elzaam (Ire), Burj (GB), Trolius (Ire), Lady Parma, Al Fajir Mukbile (Ire), Victory Command (Ire), Muthhila (Ire). Scratched: Salayel (GB), Woven (GB).
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