First Conquest to uphold Godolphin honour in Dubai Millennium Stakes

Khaleej Times

30-01-2025

It's fitting that a race named after one of their all-time greats has become a happy hunting ground for Godolphin, and the Dubai-based operation aims for an eleventh win in Friday's G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes.
Charlie Appleby has won the race eight times, including the last seven, with his roll of honour including such greats as Ghaiyyath, crowned the Longines World's Best Horse in 2020.
This year's runner, First Conquest, isn't quite in his league just yet but was taking when overcoming a slow break and a wide draw in the Lord North Handicap last time out.
'First Conquest won impressively on his first start in Dubai and has come forward for the run,' said Appleby. 'He is stepping into Pattern company and it will be interesting to see how he copes with the rise in class.
'We are dipping our toe at this level to see where his future lies and will hopefully be a lot wiser afterwards.'
First Conquest's nine rivals include 'miracle horse' Asaassi, who continued his comeback from a career-threatening injury when the impressive winner of a course and distance handicap four weeks' ago.
'When he came over [from the UK] he had a mystery slice through a tendon and the vets didn't think he'd make it,' said trainer Michael Costa. 'We took last season to just do some foundation work with him and this season he's just continued to improve.
'He's really strengthened up and we're really happy with him. He's been quite on the bridle [keen] in his runs so he's still learning to relax and breathe a bit but he's a very happy horse at the moment.
'He's built up a good association with Ray Dawson, too.'
Jamie Osborne runs See Hector, who put in a promising local debut when second to First Conquest.
'He ran very well,' he said. 'We hadn't had him very long and we're still finding out about him, so he ran a really strong race.
'He physically looks a lot better now than he did going into the Lord North, so I'd like to think he's a horse who can progress through the next few runs.'
Sean, second to Warren Point in this race last year, also takes his chance for Osborne.
'Sean was just touched off in the Dubai Millennium last year, so he deserves another go,' added the trainer.
The main supporting race is the Listed Dubai Sprint (sponsored by Emaar), worth Dh 500,000, which has attracted a field of 11 for the 1200metre turf dash.
One of the more interesting runners is G3 winner Romantic Style, who drops in trip and class after finishing second in the G2 Cape Verdi over a mile last time out.
'The Cape Verdi was a messy race, and a mile has always been a slight question mark for Romantic Style in terms of whether she truly sees the trip out,' said trainer Appleby.
'She has strengthened over the winter and dropping back to sprinting could be her gig, looking at her pedigree. She goes into this in great shape, and it will open a few doors if she handles the drop in distance.'
Also dropping in trip is Echo Point, impressive winner of a 1400metre handicap last time out.
'To me he's a horse who could go to a mile, but at the same time he's got plenty of speed,' said jockey Silvestre de Sousa. 'He's had plenty of racing, but I still feel he's learning about things.'
The Mawj Stakes is a new addition to the Carnival programme this year and the 1400metre three-year-old fillies' event has attracted a field of ten.
Among them is Octans, who brings a four-for-six record to the Carnival, her victories all coming at La Zarzuela in Spain.
'She is a lovely filly, she's done everything right from the start,' said trainer Guillermo Arizkorreta.
'She was the best two-year-old filly in Spain, but she's hard to assess against other fillies. I suppose Godolphin's (Mountain Breeze) and Barberot's (Lhakpa) will be hard to beat.
There are two British runners in the field; Naana's Diamond, trained by Alice Haynes, and Osborne's Secret Combination, who reverts to turf after finding things tough on dirt last time.
'Secret Combination was moderate on the dirt but she's worked very well on the grass,' said the trainer.
The closing Jumeirah Guineas Trial, over 1600metres on turf, sees the return of Appleby's G1 Summer Stakes runner-up Al Qudra, who looks the clear pick on form.
Breaking from stall one in the field of ten is The Fingal Raven, who finished third last time over course and distance in the Jumeirah Stakes.
'I love this horse as I've said many times,' said trainer Osborne. 'I think he's got a tremendous amount of ability. He just ran a bit fresh and a bit free on his first start and set it up for (winner Age Of Gold) last time.
'We'll probably run him in a hood just to switch him off a little bit over the mile. He's probably going to be rated 10lbs below the Godolphin horses, but I still have belief he can step up and compete with them.'
Pioneering Czech trainer Lucie Botti runs Blewburton, who makes his Meydan debut after five runs in the UK.
'Blewburton is a late addition to our stable and settled in nicely,' she said. 'He's facing a significant challenge in this very competitive renewal, but securing some prize money would be an exceptional achievement for his very enthusiastic owner Muhannad Saleh Al Maskari.'