Silver Lady Upsets in the Cape Verdi
Godolphin traditionally dominate the G2 Cape Verdi Stakes and the fillies’ feature at Dubai Racing Carnival went to the home team for the tenth time – but not to the horse most expected.
The unbeaten English Rose carried both William Buick and the burden of favouritism and it was she who threw down the biggest challenge to the winner, Silver Lady (pictured). The two Charlie Appleby-trained fillies engaged in a battle inside the final furlong of the mile turf contest and it was Mickael Barzalona’s mount who dug deepest, giving her jockey a second win in the race.
“She’s got a mind of her own, a bit of temperament,” said Barzalona of Silver Lady, a daughter of Sea The Stars and G1 winner Lumiere. “I took her down steady and she settled well during the race – it was rough the first part – but then she took a big breath and picked up well.”
First and second are likely to clash again in the G2 Balanchine, over 1800metres, on February 22nd.
Appleby claimed a double and Buick made the winner’s enclosure soon afterwards when G1 winner Mysterious Night showed something like his old form in the JAFZA Handicap, over 1400metres on turf.
Winner of the G1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine, Canada, as a juvenile, the four-year-old was winless in four starts since but appreciated dropping to handicap company for the first time here. Always in a good spot just behind the leaders, he cruised to the front off the final turn and kicked clear, beating Nibras Passion by four lengths.
“I suppose the draw [1] was a little bit kinder this time and he got a better run through,” said Buick. “If you go through some of his form, especially as a two-year-old, it’s very good.
“We’ve been waiting for a while for that from him, but he showed his class tonight.”
