Godolphin dominated the penultimate meeting of the Dubai World Cup Carnival by taking home four of the five prizes that were on offer for thoroughbreds at Meydan on Thursday. Charlie Appleby bagged a hat-trick, including the Group 3 Dubai Millennium Stakes, while Saeed bin Suroor saddled the first three home in the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy. James Doyle atop Appleby’s Bright Melody set the ball rolling by claiming the first of the five races for the thoroughbreds. Mickael Barzalona on Naval Crown led home a one-two finish for Appleby before Frankie Dettori on board Volcanic Sky led first three home for Bin Suroor in the Nad Al Sheba Trophy. Appleby was back in the winner’s enclosure when William Buick steered Star Safari to win the Dubai Millennium Stakes from Bin Suroor’s Bedouin’s Story. Bin Suroor has the Gold Cup on the Dubai World Cup night as Volcanic Sky’s next race. “He’s a tough horse,” the Emirati said of the six-year-old Street Cry gelding. “Always he tries hard. He’s a big strong horse and obviously improved from his previous race,” Bin Suroor said. “Frankie tonight had him nicely positioned throughout the race. When they came into the last two furlongs, I thought he had a chance to win. He finished very well. “We now have the option to aim him in the Gold Cup (on the Dubai World Cup night).” Ryan Curatolo celebrated his first Group 1 success in the UAE on board Jean-Claude Pecout’s Brraq in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 for Purebred Arabians. “It is fantastic,” Curatolo, riding in the UAE in his first season, said. “That was a goal of mine. It is great and for the trainer who gave me the ride, Jean-Claude Pecout, who did an amazing job with this horse and gave me the opportunity to ride him. “It is not just me, a lot of people are involved. So, I’m happy to be here and deliver.” Brraq, who won the Round 1 of the Al Maktoum Challenge series, made smooth headway on the home stretch to win from Omani raider Al Roba'A Al Khali under Al Moatasem Al Balushi by a length and-a-half. “I was quite impressed by the way he travelled during the race,” Curatolo added. “The pace was a bit too fast for me, so I kind of just relaxed, went in, took my time and made my own run. “He is a very difficult horse, to be honest, because I was a bit out at the first half of the race and I could see he wanted to get out. So, I wanted to change his legs, stay in, cut the corner, because, if I had gone out, he would have probably shifted out a bit too much on the line. “But then, we were on the inside near the rail, he got more comfortable and he stuck to the rail and just kept his position.”
