Beautiful Romance & Red Galileo bid for Nad Al Sheba Trophy

Sport360 staff 22:11 22/02/2017
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Beautiful Romance

    Beautiful Romance and Red Galileo provide Godolphin with strong representation in the 14-furlong G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy (20.50hrs local time) on turf at this week’s Dubai World Cup Carnival fixture at Meydan, UAE, on Thursday, February 23.

    Five-year-old mare Beautiful Romance (Oisin Murphy) makes her Carnival debut following two fine efforts in Australia at the end of last year, including when getting up on the line to win the 12-furlong G2 Zipping Classic at Sandown in November.

    The daughter of New Approach finished seventh in the G1 Emirates Melbourne Cup over two miles at Flemington earlier the same month.

    Red Galileo (Adrie de Vries), a six-year-old by Dubawi, has made two handicap appearances at this year’s Dubai World Cup Carnival, gamely scoring by a neck in a 14-furlong contest on January 12 following a long layoff and staying on well to take third over two miles on February 2.

    The Godolphin runners face seven rivals in the Nad Al Sheba Trophy headed by dual French G1 scorer Vazirabad.

    Saeed bin Suroor, who trains both, commented: “Beautiful Romance ran a big race on her latest start out in Australia and has done well since travelling back to Dubai.

    “She looks to be in good form at the moment and this distance will suit her.

    “Red Galileo has won over this trip already this season. He has been training nicely and I am looking for another good run from him.”

    Also on Thursday’s card, Listed UAE 1000 Guineas seventh Calare (William Buick) continues on dirt for the G3 UAE Oaks over nine and a half furlongs (20.15 hrs).

    The daughter of Dubawi, the comfortable winner of a turf Listed race in Ireland last season, takes on eight other three-year-old fillies including the first three home in the UAE 1000 Guineas – Nashmiah, Nomorerichblondes and Rajar.

    Her trainer Charlie Appleby reported: “Calare has a bit to find with the fillies that finished in front of her in the UAE 1000 Guineas but she won a Listed race over a stiff mile last year and I am hoping that the step up in trip will see an improved performance.”

    Really Special was fifth in the UAE 1000 Guineas and the Shamardal filly, a Newmarket Listed winner last season, returns to turf for the seven-furlong Meydan Classic (19.05hrs).

    She is joined in the Listed race by Meydan Classic Trial winner Top Score and Fly At Dawn, who was successful in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial but missed the Guineas itself with a minor mouth injury.

    Recent 10-furlong dirt handicap scorer Alabaster attempts to follow up over the same course and distance in the Listed Curlin Handicap (21.25hrs), which also features lightly-raced six-year-old Memorial Day.

    Bravo Zolo has also been in winning form at the 2017 Carnival, having readily taken a mile handicap on February 11, and the five-year-old is joined by Steady Pace in the Al Naboodah KAESER Compressor Trophy Handicap (22.00hrs) over seven furlongs on turf.

    Four Godolphin runners in the 10-furlong Al Naboodah Harley-Davidson Trophy Handicap (19.40hrs) on turf include Classic Collection, who won a Meydan handicap over a furlong shorter on January 28, plus Viren’s Army, Kidmenever and Huge Future.

    Recommended