Meydan hosted a big meeting in Dubai overnight with Godolphin runners dominating the stakes races and of particular interest their classy three year-olds Ruling Court (Justify) and Mountain Breeze (Lope de Vega) took out the Listed Jumeirah 2000 Guineas (1m) and 1000 Guineas (1m).
Godolphin made headlines last year when paying €2.3million for a colt by Justify at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale and that’s Ruling Court, who won brilliantly on debut at Sandown last July before finishing an underwhelming third in the Group IIII York Acomb Stakes.
Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, he was back in action overnight for the first time since then and bolted in to win by six lengths.
Ruling Court is now 10-1 for the Group I Newmarket 2000 Guineas.
“Ruling Court was superb, I couldn't have asked for a better effort from him. Charlie [Appleby, trainer] was very keen for him to learn a little bit along the way and bring him forward. He learnt plenty there, his acceleration was instant and he's got a huge amount of talent. I think he'll get a mile and a quarter and he's a much stronger horse this year. He's very exciting,” said William Buick.
The 39th stakes-winner for Justify, Ruling Court was a super successful pinhook having initially been bought from Keeneland September as a yearling for $150,000 by Norman Williamson.
He is the first winner for Group III placed High Chaparral mare Inchargeofme, a sibling to a pair of Group I placed horses in Mythical and Johann Strauss as well as the dam of Group III winner Nagirroc.
The Jumeirah 1000 Guineas for the fillies was again won by Appleby and Buick with Lope de Vega filly Mountain Breeze, a three-quarter sister to Champion 2YO Pinatubo. She raced away for an easy win, albeit in far slower time that recorded by Ruling Court.
Group placed twice last season at two, she won a lead up race at Meydan last month and has now won four of eight starts and becomes the 143rd stakes-winner for Lope de Vega.
She is the third stakes-winner among six winners from stakes-winning Dalakhani mare Lava Flow.
