Curlin rules the world

DUBAI: America’s 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin won the world’s richest race, the Dubai World Cup here on Saturday on a night when South African trainers shone with three winners.

The four-year-old – the world’s highest rated horse – ridden by Robby Albarado and trained by Steve Asmussen, eased home ahead of Asiatic Boy, trained by Dubai-based South African Mike de Kock and ridden by Irishman Johnny Murtagh, who declared the winner to be a “monster”. Another American runner, Well Armed, trained by Irishman Eoin Harty and ridden by Aaron Gryder was third. Asmussen, whose brother Cash had a hugely successful spell as a jockey in Europe, declared his star as “awesome”. “For some one from a racing family to have the greatest horse in the world is awesome,” he gushed. Albarado was humble in victory giving the credit for the equine superstar’s achievements to the stable and the work riders. “This is such an amazing horse and I am honoured to ride such a great creature,” said Albarado. “I am just the pilot. They do the work and I just turn up and get all the glory, all I do is just hang on to him. This is an unbelievable feeling and I can’t explain it.”

Curlin’s major owner Jess Jackson, who bought the majority share for a reputed 3.5million dollars last year which was a good return for the vendors on the 57,000 dollars they had shelled out for him as a yearling, was ecstatic. “It is great to come here and see such a star show his class like he did tonight,” beamed Jackson. “We knew we had real opposition here but our boy showed his class in dramatic fashion.” Away from the feature event it was a night to treasure for the South Africans as de Kock recorded a double in the UAE Derby and the Dubai Sheema Classic, the latter with the appropriately named Sun Classique who will now be aimed at a campaign in Europe. South Africa recorded a miraculous success in the Dubai Duty Free with Anton Marcus on Jay Peg edging out France’s 2007 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Darjina in a thrilling finish.

Marcus’ ride was the more remarkable as his saddle slipped badly nearing the finish which almost saw him dumped on the ground by the 50/1 shot, but he managed to stay in the saddle and get the South African Guineas and Derby winner home ahead of Darjina (5/1) while Archipenko (16/1) trained by de Kock was third. “I was more concerned about falling off, but this horse is typical South African, he likes a fight,” said Marcus, whose brother and former Hong Kong champion jockey Basil trained the winner before it was passed onto present handler Herman Brown. Earlier de Kock had secured his fourth UAE Derby and trained the second for good measure in Honour Devil and Royal Vintage respectively. Winning rider Murtagh confessed to being relieved at recording a facile four-and-a-quarter-length win after he had finished only second on his previous appearance.

“I liked him from the first time I sat on him and I have to say I probably didn’t give him the best ride of my life last time,” said the Epsom and Irish Derby winning jockey.

“He showed tonight what a real champion he is.” De Kock later revealed that the winner would be aimed at the Breeders Cup Classic. American duo, trainer Richard Dutrow Junior and jockey Edgar Prado teamed up to record a double, striking their first blow in the Godolphin Mile with Diamond Stripes.

“He fought hard all the way, I was really proud of him,” gushed 2006 Kentucky Derby winning jockey Prado, whose mount took his record to six wins in 12 starts.

Prado – who later won the Dubai Golden Shaheen with Benny The Bull – rode a superb race on the gelding to edge The Godolphin Operation’s Elusive Warning under Australian jockey Kerrin McEvoy, though he believed that he would have captured the US$600,000 first prize had he not been bumped into at the outset of the race.

“He got to the front with 150 metres to go but then went a bit flat. He tried hard but that early check might have cost him the race,” said McEvoy. – AFP