Class came to the fore in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup as Tower Of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) ran out an authoritative winner for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore.
A brother to St Leger hero Capri (Ire), Tower Of London came into the Group 2 contest at Meydan off the back of a cheeky victory in the G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. in Saudi Arabia.
Tower Of London built on that victory to post a career best at odds of 2-1, storming home from the rear to run out two lengths too strong for 80-1 shot Al Nayyir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), with Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) just over a length further behind in third.
Moore said, “He was better again again. The pace slackened up down the back [straight] and I had to move him forward but he quickened up very well. He was impressive.”
Tower Of London's victory represented the perfect start at Meydan for O'Brien and Moore, who had Auguste Rodin to look forward to in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic later on the card.
All roads will lead to Royal Ascot for Tower Of London, according to O'Brien, who revealed the G2 Hardwick S. rather than the G1 Gold Cup could be the plan.
O'Brian said, “He's an Ascot-type horse, he could go for the Hardwicke–or something like the [G1] Coronation Cup. Ryan was very adamant he doesn't need to go two miles. I don't think Ryan thought he'd get the Gold Cup trip. He's classy.”
Pedigree Notes
Tower Of London's dam Dialafara (Fr) (Anabaa), who was a €175,000 purchase from The Aga Khan Studs' draft at the 2010 Arqana December Mixed Sale, was exclusively bred to Galileo until the giant's passing and now has a resulting 2-year-old colt by Camelot (GB). She has proven remarkable value for that price tag, producing the G1 Irish Derby and G1 St Leger hero Capri (Ire), the G3 Loughbrown S. winner Cypress Creek (Ire) and the G3 Stanerra S. winner Passion (Ire) who was also third in the G1 Irish Oaks, the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G2 Ribblesdale S. Her daughter Sovereign Parade (Ire) is in turn responsible for the G1 Fillies Mile and G2 Rockfel S. heroine Commissioning (GB) (Kingman {GB}), while she also threw a Cheltenham Festival winner in Brazil (Ire) for good measure.
Dialafara is out of the G2 Prix de Malleret winner and G1 Prix Vermeille runner-up Diamilina (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}), a half-sister to the sire Diamond Green (Fr) (Green Desert) who was runner-up in the G1 St James's Palace S., G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. She is also connected to the G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Bauer (Ire) (Halling).
Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI GOLD CUP SPONSORED BY AL TAYER MOTORS-G2, AED1,000,000, Meydan, 3-30, 3yo/up, 16fT, 3:17.29, gd.
1–TOWER OF LONDON (IRE), 122, c, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Dialafara (Fr), by Anabaa
2nd Dam: Diamilina (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
3rd Dam: Diamonaka, by Akarad (Fr)
TDN Rising Star. O-D Smith,Mrs J Magnier, M
Tabor,Westerberg; B-Lynch Bages Ltd & Camas Park Stud (IRE);
T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. $580,000. Lifetime Record:
GSW-Sau, SW-Ire, GSP-Eng, 10-5-1-0, $2,869,593. *Full to
Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Euro at 14f+, Hwt. 3yo-Ire
at 11-14f & 14f+, Hwt. Older Horse-Ire at 11-14f, Hwt. 3yo-Eng
at 14f+, G1SW-Ire & Eng, G1SP-Fr, $2,067,692; Cypress Creek
(Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), GSW-Ire, GSP-Eng, $102,373; and Passion
(Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), SW & G1SP-Ire, G1SP-Eng, $200,604. Click
for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk
Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Al Nayyir (GB), 128, g, 6, Dubawi (Ire)–Bright Beacon (GB), by
Manduro (Ger). (UAE40,000 HRA '21 ERASEP). O-Elbashir
Salem AB Elhrari; B-Godolphin (GB); T-Georges Doleuze.
$200,000.
3–Trawlerman (Ire), 128, g, 6, Golden Horn (GB)–Tidespring
(Ire), by Monsun (Ger). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-John & Thady
Gosden. $100,000.
Margins: 2, 1HF, SHD.
Also Ran: Siskany (GB), Giavellotto (Ire), Sevenna's Knight (Ire), Enemy (GB), Iron Barows (Jpn), Sober (Fr), Passion And Glory (Ire), Libyan Glass (Jpn), Coltrane (Ire), Roberto Escobarr (Ire), Daramethos (Ire), Sea Stone (Ire). Scratched: Eldar Eldarov (GB).
Click for the ERA chart & video.
Ballydoyle strike!
TOWER OF LONDON secures the Middle Eastern double with a win in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan. #DWC24
— World Horse Racing (@WHR) March 30, 2024
All roads will lead to Royal Ascot for Tower Of London, according to O'Brien, who revealed the Hardwick rather than the Gold Cup could be the plan.
O'Brian said, “He's an Ascot-type horse, he could go for the Hardwicke–or something like the Coronation Cup. Ryan was very adamant he doesn't need to go two miles. I don't think Ryan thought he'd get the Gold Cup trip. He's classy.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
