Hukum (4/5 favourite) beat Without A Fight and Global Storm to win the Group Two Dubai City Of Gold at Meydan on Super Saturday; trainer Owen Burrows enjoys victory with first runner in Dubai and pays tribute to late owner Sheikh Hamdan
Saturday 5 March 2022 16:46, UK
Hukum booked his ticket for the Sheema Classic later this month as he just edged victory in the Dubai City Of Gold at Meydan.
The opening event of Super Saturday was contested over 12 furlongs and Owen Burrows' runner was expected to shine having won seven times previously, including four times at Group Three level.
Stepping up to Group Two company here, Jim Crowley rode the five-year-old with plenty of confidence, sitting off the early pace set by Amhran Na Bhfiann before angling out to challenge at the top of the straight.
Hukum took a while to reach top gear and Without A Fight certainly made a battle of it in the final furlong, but Crowley's mount was just a shade too good at the line.
Crowley said: "We went quick to the bend, as you would expect with such a short run in, but then the pace was quite steady down the back. It just took him a while to hit top gear and he will improve a lot for it.
"He's a solid horse. He's never really been tested in Group One company apart from the St Leger and he didn't get home that day, so he's a high-class horse and I'm looking forward to riding him (in the Sheema Classic)."
Hukum runs in the Shadwell colours of the late Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum and Crowley admitted it was a special moment to have a winner for the team in Dubai.
He added: "It's fantastic. Sheikha Hissa has come to watch and I'm so pleased the plan has come together."
Burrows also paid tribute to Sheikh Hamdan's impact on his career and expects Hukum to progress plenty ahead of the Sheema Classic on March 26.
He said: "It's obviously a big thing coming over to Dubai with my first runner and it couldn't have gone any better.
"Without Sheikh Hamdan I wouldn't be stood here training, so his trust and faith in me, I will be forever in his debt for that. To set me up with this opportunity was massive and many thanks to his family now for sticking by me with the yard and everything.
"Whatever Hukum did today, he was going to come on plenty for. Jim said he didn't have that hard a race, he wasn't blowing too much there but he's got three weeks now to enjoy this warmth and I'm sure he will come on plenty."
Alfareeq gave Shadwell a big-race double when lifting the Group One Jebel Hatta.
Dane O'Neill produced the five-year-old, trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, with a telling run to deny the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Finest Sound in the closing stages.
The pace was slow for most of the race which did not suit last year's winner Lord Glitters. David O'Meara's nine-year-old made late gains to take sixth place.
O'Neill said: "My horse found a really good kick. He's got a good turn of foot when he comes from off the pace and that suited me from my position early on.
"I knew this horse would find a good turn of foot and he dug deep.
"It looked like Andrea (Atzeni on Finest Sound) had first run on me. I gave my horse 50-60 metres to find his feet, then he picked up and was never getting beat. The leader wasn't stopping and it took a real turn of foot to get by him."
Man Of Promise shot away from his rivals to win the Group Three Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint in impressive fashion.
Successful in a Listed contest over the course and distance in January, the Charlie Appleby-trained five-year-old looked a cut above as he scooted clear in the final furlong.
William Buick had the Godolphin-owned gelding well-positioned as Jash was prominent on the near side rail with Mutaraffa and Motafaawit up with the pace.
Buick made a decisive move when taking Man Of Promise over to the rail. He hit the front a furlong out and was soon well clear.
Ado McGuinness' A Case Of You, last year's Prix de l'Abbaye winner, was four and three-quarter lengths away in second with Alkaraama two and a half lengths away in third place.
Appleby said: "It was one of those comfortable races to watch. I was confident. The team have done a fantastic job with him. I've never seen him look so well.
"He's a year older now, he's five, and I'm a big believer these sprinters take their time to mature, to develop to where he is now.
"It was a good performance. On the back of that, we are dealing with a potential Al Quoz winner."
