Jebel Hatta

Dismissed at rough odds with a sea of blue for Godolphin signed on for Saturday's $350,000 G1 Jebel Hatta Sponsored by emirates.com, defending champion Alfareeq (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) raced prominently throughout and--unlike many of his chief rivals--enjoyed a clean passage, then ran down pacesetting El Drama (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) to cause the upset and win by a neck. The 6-year-old hit the ground running and was forwardly placed and out of trouble through the early stages. When El Drama crossed all the way down to the inside...

Glitters To Shine On Super Saturday Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) may be a former G1 Queen Anne S. winner, but at age nine he has revamped himself as a Middle Eastern star, and he lines up as one of the highlight horses of Super Saturday in the G1 Jebel Hatta S. It has been almost three years since the grey visited a winner's enclosure in Europe, but in the meantime Lord Glitters has won four black-type races in the Gulf region, including last year's edition of this race, the G3...

The 2019 G1 Queen Anne S. winner Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) continued his resurgence at Meydan on Saturday with a come-from-behind victory in the G1 Jebel Hatta.  Sitting near the rear of the pack and on the outside while Godolphin's highly regarded Al Suhail (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was tucked in between horses, Lord Glitters began to wind up on the outside upon turning for home, but it appeared briefly as if Al Suhail had got first run. Godolphin's bay, however, drifted out and shortened stride at the same time as...

A packed slate of seven pattern races is set for Meydan's 'Super Saturday' card for aspirants to the Dubai World Cup races on Mar. 27, and headlining the card is the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 over the course and distance of the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup. Last-out group winners Salute The Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}) and Secret Ambition (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) are the headliners, but potential distance limitations for the pair of them perhaps levels the playing field. The 6-year-old Salute The Soldier went the furthest...

The first Group 1 of the evening at Meydan brought a trifecta for Charlie Appleby in the Jebel Hatta with the class act of the field, Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}), claiming his second win at the highest level and his third victory since returning to training after his failed stud career. Settled towards the rear of the field by William Buick after jumping from the widest gate, the 6-year-old raced a tad keenly at times but made steady progress around the home turn, quickening nicely once switched outside to...