Tattersalls October co-topper Glorious Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) bounced back from a ninth in the Oct. 6 G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret at ParisLongchamp, with a comfortable win in the G2 Al Fahidi Fort over 1400 metres at Meydan on Thursday. The first three home were all trained by Charlie Appleby who was winning this contest for the fifth time, with Her Highness Sheikha Al Jalila's 2.6-million guineas purchase besting the Godolphin duo of Mythical Magic (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Mubtasim (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}) by 3/4s of a length and a length, respectively.
It was the third straight win in the 1400-metre turf event for the combination of Appleby and jockey James Doyle, who found success with Jungle Cat (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) in 2018 and D'bai (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) last term. Godolphin's Safety Check (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) gave Appleby his first and second titles in 2015/16.
Toting 129 pounds, four more than his rivals, the 5-year-old raced at the tail of the field for the initial stages as Mubtasim loped along on the engine, but soon moved up to midpack as the field entered the bend. Mubtasim continued to cut out uncontested fractions with Mythical Magic full of run in second against the fence and Poet's Society (GB) (Poet's Voice {GB}) tracking him.
Coming out a path inside the final quarter mile, Mubtasim allowed Mythical Magic to come up on the inside, while Glorious Journey was steered into the three path and bounded up to engage the leading pair. A half-length behind his stablemates 300 metres from home, they formed a line of three shortly thereafter, with Mubtasim beginning to tire. Glorious Journey asserted himself from there and edged away in the final 100 metres for the score.
“I'm delighted, as Mythical Magic is a good horses and seven furlongs is his trip,” said Appleby. “He was a bit disappointing in his last start, but he has rock-solid form. The plan now is to perhaps go to Saudi for a race just short of seven furlongs, which seems perfect for him. With Mythical Magic, we'll probably do the same and go to the [Feb. 20 G2] Zabeel Mile with him and Mubtasim is undecided. We'll just have to see how he comes out. There's a race during the Craven meeting for him and possibly at the Carnival beforehand. They're all three Group 2/Group 3 horses and showed that they're that caliber today.”
Added Doyle of the winner, “It was a nice race. He's a fun horse to have around. He cost a few quid, so it's nice that he can repay the team. It's a difficult decision between those three for William [Buick on Mythical Magic], because there isn't much in it and you could see that at the line. He had the penalty and he's a classy horse, as is Mythical Magic. He's an exciting horse who I'm sure will improve fitness-wise. Things are going well so far. I have five winners on the board, so there are some nice horses to look forward to. We'll take it as it comes.”
A winner of the G3 Prix la Rochette in Sept. of 2017 after breaking his maiden at first asking at Newmarket that June, the gelding returned to the winner's enclosure several starts later, in August of 2018, bolting up by two lengths in the G3 Prix Daphnis at three. Placed in both the Listed Hamilton S. at Windsor in May 2019 and the G3 Criterion S. at HQ that June, Glorious Journey stepped up to Group 2 company with a half-length victory in the Aug. 17 G2 Hungerford S. at Newbury prior to the Foret.
Pedigree Notes
Selected by John Ferguson out of the 2016 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 for 2.6 million guineas, the Feb. 9-foaled bay was consigned by Norris Bloodstock for Philippa Cooper's Normandie Stud. He is the second foal out of 2012 G1 Coronation S. heroine Fallen For You. After foaling Glorious Journey, Fallen For You produced the placed 4-year-old filly It Had To Be You (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and the unraced colt Turquoise Kingdom (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in 2017-a 500,000 guineas 2018 Tattersalls October yearling. Out of the SW and MGSP Fallen Star (GB) (Brief Truce), who in turn is a half to English highweight and G1 Lockinge winner Fly to the Stars (GB) (Bluebird), Fallen For You's latest produce is the filly Love Is You (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) in 2018.
Thursday, Meydan, Middle East
AL FAHIDI FORT (SPONSORED BY DP WORLD UAE REGION)-G2, $250,000, Meydan, 1-23, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1400mT, 1:22.35, gd.
1–GLORIOUS JOURNEY (GB), 129, g, 5, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Fallen For You (GB) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at
7-9 1/2f, G1SW-Eng), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Fallen Star (GB), by Brief Truce
3rd Dam: Rise and Fall (GB), by Mill Reef
(2,600,000 gns Ylg '16 TATOCT). O-HH Sheikha Al Jalila Racing;
B-Normandie Stud Ltd (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-James Doyle.
$150,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW-Fr, GSW-Eng, 15-5-2-1,
$371,076. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mythical Magic (Ire), 126, g, 5, Iffraaj (GB)–Mythie (Fr), by
Octagonal (NZ). (140,000gns Wlg '15 TATNOV). O-Godolphin;
B-Peter Kelly & Ms Wendy Daly (Ire); T-Charlie Appleby.
$50,000.
3–Mubtasim (Ire), 126, g, 6, Arcano (Ire)–Start the Music (Ire),
by King's Best). (€22,000 Wlg '14 GOFNOV; 38,000gns Ylg '15
TAOOCT; 140,000gns HRA '18 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Mrs
Natasha Drennan (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. $25,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1, 5.
Also Ran: Blitzkrieg, Royal Meeting (Ire), Inverleigh (Ire), Poet's Society (GB).
Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video.
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