By Heather Anderson
The bred-in-the-purple Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}–Minidress {GB}, by Street Cry {Ire}) gave the boys in blue their eighth AED850,000 G2 Al Rashidiya winner when drawing off to win by 3 1/4 lengths in the 1800-metre grass contest on Friday. One of two group races on the nine-race Meydan card, the Al Rashidiya featured 10 rivals for the lightly raced 3-year-old, who was receiving a break in the weights.
Part of the early pace discussion, the near-black colt was keen and tugging as he tracked Wirko (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) down the backstretch. Buick finally had him relaxed next to Goemon (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), and that duo moved up to challenge Wirko on the far turn. Those two went on with it with 550 metres to travel, with Measured Time edging ahead before storming home a 3 1/4-length victor. Erzindjan (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) closed up the inside to run second, 3/4 of a length ahead of Godolphin's Ottoman Fleet (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).
“He's a horse full of promise and it's great to have a winner here on the first night,” said Buick. “Today was a new test for him; first time away from England; first time at Meydan. I still think he's a horse full of potential.”
Flawless in his first three starts for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin at Kempton in February and August, and at Newmarket on Aug. 25, Measured Time lost his unbeaten tag with a second-place finish in the Listed Floodlit S. back on the Kempton all-weather on Nov. 6.
Pedigree Notes
Measured Time became the 135th stakes winner and 92nd group winner for his Juddmonte sire with his score on Friday. Other Frankels to excel in the desert include G1 Jebel Hatta winner Dream Castle (GB), who also won the Al Rashidiya; and With The Moonlight (Ire).
The much-missed Street Cry (Ire)'s daughters have foaled 150 stakes winners to date, with this colt his 83rd Pattern race winner. His Minidress (GB), second in the Listed Height Of Fashion S., is the dam of UAE top-notcher Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin, and G1 Preis von Europa; and the stakes-placed Petticoat (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Her latest is a weanling colt by Dubawi (Ire).
A grandson of G3 Musidora S. and G3 St. Simon S. victress and G1 Oaks placegetter Short Skirt (GB) (Diktat {GB}), Measured Time is also kin to Group 1 winners Asakusa Den'En (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and Victoire Pisa (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}), as well as their dam, the multiple graded winner Whitewater Affair (GB) (Machiavellian), who was second in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks and third in the G1 Irish St Leger. Young sire Cappella Sansevero (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), a winner of the G3 Round Tower S. and third in the G1 Phoenix S., is also part of this clan.
Friday, Meydan, Middle East
AL RASHIDIYA-G2, AED850,000, Meydan, 12-22, NH3yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1800mT, 1:46.97, gd.
1–MEASURED TIME (GB), 123, c, 3, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Minidress (GB), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Short Skirt (GB), by Diktat (GB)
3rd Dam: Much Too Risky (GB), by Bustino (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB);
T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. AED510,000. Lifetime
Record: 5-4-1-0, AED916,430. *1/2 to Rebel's Romance (Ire)
(Dubawi {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-UAE at 9 1/2-11f, GSW-Eng & UAE,
GISW-US, MG1SW-UAE, $3,060,232; and Petticoat (GB) (Cape
Cross {Ire}), S)-Ire. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Erzindjan (Ire), 126, g, 5, Lope De Vega (Ire)–Eshera (Ire), by
Oratorio (Ire). (€160,000 HRA '21 GOFNOV). O-Mohammed
Ahmad Ali Al Subousi; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE);
T-Ahmad bin Harmash. AED170,000.
3–Ottoman Fleet (GB), 128, g, 4, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Innevera
(Fr), by Motivator (GB). (€290,000 Wlg '19 ARQDEC;
425,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-SCEA Marmion
Vauville & Alain Jathiere (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. AED85,000.
Margins: 3 1/4, 3/4, 2.
Also Ran: Alfareeq (Ire), Real World (Ire), Goemon (GB), Laneqash (GB), Highland Avenue (Ire), Maydanny (Ire), Marshall Plan (GB), Wirko (Ger). Click for the ERA chart & video.
Boom! 💥
Measured Time dominates the Group Two Al Rashidiya 👌@Godolphin have now won this race EIGHT times on the spin 👇
2023: Valiant Prince
2222: Desert Fire
2021: Zakouski
2020: Barney Roy
2019: Dream Castle
2018: Benbatl
2017: Promising Run pic.twitter.com/HgJl5MUCXJ— Dubai Racing Club (@RacingDubai) December 22, 2023
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