By Kelsey Riley
Three-year-old filly Final Song (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) got Saeed bin Suroor's Dubai World Cup Carnival off to a winning start on Thursday when taking Meydan's card-opening UAE 1000 Guineas Trial, a conditions race over seven furlongs on the dirt, by an eye-catching 1 3/4 lengths. Final Song was the highest-rated filly in the race on a mark of 103 and ran to her form, quickening late to deny a pair of recent impressive Meydan maiden winners in Down On Da Bayou (Super Saver) and 'TDN Rising Star' Rio Angie (Honor Code).
A debut winner at Ascot on May 10, Final Song was third in both the Royal meeting's G2 Queen Mary S. and the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. at Newmarket before closing out the season with a sixth in the G3 Oh So Sharp S. on Oct. 11. Testing dirt for the first time on Thursday, Final Song stalked the pace while wide down the backstretch as Down On Da Bayou on the fence and Rio Angie just to her outside dueled for the lead. Down On Da Bayou, making her third start off an eight-length maiden win on Dec. 19, gave her rival the slip turning for home and pulled clear to a small advantage as Rio Angie, making just her second start, began to struggle, with Final Song all the while winding up menacingly in behind. Final Song split her rivals under a hand ride from Christophe Soumillon inside the final furlong and pulled clear to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
“With that draw, it's never easy for a filly like her,” said winning jockey Christophe Soumillon. “[It was her] first time on dirt and we knew she had some speed. I tried to work with that, but unfortunately two or three horses from the inside tried to keep their position, so I was about four wide. I gave her a little chance on the turn and didn't want to go too wide. She took the kickback in the face and responded really well to it. In the straight, I took a shortcut and it worked well. For her, if you really want to know if she can go further, it was a good idea to [take her back] and see what she can do. Today she handled the best fillies in town and I'm sure she will handle 200m more [in the $250,000 Listed UAE 1000 Guineas on Jan. 23].”
Added bin Suroor, “We told the jockey to look after her and keep her handy. She handled the dirt really well. Even the mile would be good for her in the future. The jockey gave her a good ride. The way she won, she's going to be a nice filly in the future, even going farther. No problem for the mile, maybe further. She could get to nine [furlongs], no problem.”
Final Song is the ninth foal and third stakes horse out of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G2 Rockfel S.-placed Rahiyah, who is also responsible for the listed-placed Drummore (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the G3 Prix La Rochette second Decathlete (Medaglia d'Oro). Final Song's third dam is the G1 Coronation S. winner Golden Opinion (Slew O'Gold), who is herself out of the G2 Nassau S. and G3 Musidora S. victress Optimistic Lass (Mr. Prospector). This is also the family of Aleagueoftheirown (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), the dam of five stakes horses headed by the three-time Group 1 winner Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Rahiyah has a newly turned yearling colt by New Approach (Ire).
1st-Meydan, $100,000, Cond, 1-2, NH3yo & SH3yo, f, 1400m, 1:24.44, ft.
FINAL SONG (IRE) (f, 3, Dark Angel {Ire}–Rahiyah {G1SP-Fr & GSP-Eng, $116,304}, by Rahy) Lifetime Record: MGSP-Eng, 5-2-0-2, $95,404. *1/2 to Decathlete (Medaglia d'Oro), GSP-Fr; and Drummore (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), SP-Fr. Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor.
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