The connections of Sir Maximilian enjoyed a fruitful campaign with the gelding last season, when he won four of nine outings, including two listed stakes, over this distance in Britain and Ireland. The bay got the year off on a winning note when taking a Chester handicap over Caspian Prince (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) in May, and three starts later he landed in the winner's enclosure at The Curragh, once again in handicap company. After finishing seventh, beaten 3 1/4 lengths, in a heritage handicap at Goodwood Aug. 2, Sir Maximilian returned to Ireland to take the Listed Abergwaun S. a week later prior to finishing second in the G3 Flying Five S. Sept. 14. Sir Maximilian was a smart seventh, beaten just 1 3/4 lengths, when stepped up to Group 1 company for the Prix de l'Abbaye on the Arc undercard Oct. 5, and rounded out his campaign with a score in Dundalk's Listed Mercury S. three weeks later. He had found little luck in four outings at the Meydan carnival prior to yesterday, his best finish coming when third behind Ahtoug over this track and trip Jan. 29, and he was most recently fifth when tried over a panel longer in a Feb. 28 handicap. Biding his time in midpack while Caspian Prince set the tempo yesterday, the bay was beginning to wind up as that rival ducked to the outside passing the halfway point. Last year's GII Nearctic S. winner Caspar Netscher put in a valiant run down the middle of the track in his first start since finishing eighth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, as did Ahtoug, but Sir Maximilian swooped on the outside to nail them on the wire. Jockey Kieren Fallon revealed he didn't get the exact trip he wanted, but it worked out nonetheless. “I was actually held up for the run when I first wanted it,” he said. “As things worked out it has probably helped me as I did not want to get to the front too soon. It is great to ride a winner here on Super Saturday and for a trainer with just one horse here.”
It was the first win in the UAE for trainer Ian Williams.
Saturday, Meydan, UAE
MEYDAN SPRINT (SPONSORED BY ARABIAN ADVENTURES)-G3, $175,000, MEY, 3-7, NH & SH 3yo/up, 1000mT, :57.10, gd.
1–@SIR MAXIMILIAN (IRE), 126, g, 6, by Royal Applause (GB)
1st Dam: Nebraska Lady (Ire), by Lujain
2nd Dam: Montana Lady (Ire), by Be My Guest
3rd Dam: Invisible Halo, by Halo
(8,000gns RNA wlng '09 TATDEC; £10,000 yrl '10
DONAUG; £68,000 2yo '11 DONAPR; 30,000gns
HRA '12 TATHIT; 50,000gns RNA HRA '13 TATHIT;
£10,000 RNA HRA '14 GOFLON; 60,000gns RNA
HRA '14 TATJUL). O-Paul Wildes; B-Holborn Trust
Company (Ire); T-Ian Williams; J-Kieren Fallon.
$105,000. Lifetime Record: MSW & GSP-Ire,
28-7-4-5, $367,604. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ahtoug (GB), 126, h, 7, Byron (GB)–Cherokee Rose
(Ire), by Dancing Brave. O-Saeed H Al Tayer; B-Darley
(GB); T-Charlie Appleby. $35,000.
3–Caspar Netscher (GB), 126, h, 6, Dutch Art (GB)–
Bella Cantata (GB), by Singspiel (Ire). (25,000gns yrl
'10 TATOCT; 65,000gns 2yo '11 TATAPR).
O-Charles Wentworth; B-Meon Valley Stud (GB);
T-David Simcock. $17,500.
Margins: SHD, HD, 1 1/4.
Also Ran: Lancelot du Lac (Ity), Roi de Vitesse (Ire), Line of Reason (Ire), Banaadeer (Aus), Caspian Prince (Ire), Via Africa (SAf), Rafeej (GB), Fityaan (GB), Sole Power (GB), Monsieur Joe (Ire), Moviesta, High On Life (GB), Extortionist (Ire). Scratched: Mirza (GB), Seachantach.
Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.
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