Warrior Dominates Winter Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum’s Dubai Warrior (GB) (Dansili {GB}), buoyed by a handsome triumph over John Gosden stablemate Court House (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) in Lingfield’s Dec. 21 Listed Quebec S., returned to the Surrey venue’s same 10-furlong strip and issued a repeat prescription in Saturday’s G3 Betway Winter Derby. The bay, who had won three of his first five starts, lined up as the 13-8 second choice and stopped the clock with 2 3/4 lengths to spare. Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}), the 8-13 favourite, finished a half-length adrift in third. Enjoying a soft lead from flagfall, he was allowed an inch of rein approaching the quarter-mile marker and ridden clear of toiling rivals in the straight to easily post a lifetime best.

“I tried not to burn too much petrol at the beginning and was looking for Silvestre [de Sousa aboard Bangkok],” said winning rider Frankie Dettori. “I could feel some daylight and knew he would finish the race very strong. He’s got such a big body and has taken time to get it all together, but he’s getting better and I suspect he’ll come back here on Good Friday [for the Easter Classic]. It’s the obvious choice.” Winning trainer John Gosden added, “This boy can gallop them into the ground if he wants to and, if there’s a good gallop, he can sit off them as he did here in December. I think he is a horse who wouldn’t want soft or loose ground as he has a huge stride and likes to put his foot down. He is a Dansili, that’s a trait of them, so he is a horse who likes this surface and good-to-firm ground. If it rains you won’t see him running. He had a perfect rhythm, he nicked five lengths when they were all messing about and they had to use a bit of petrol to get to him.”

Pedigree Notes

Dubai Warrior, kin to the hitherto unraced 3-year-old filly Moohareeba (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and a 2-year-old filly by Kingman (GB), becomes the second pattern-race winner out of G1 Golden Slipper-winning South African champion Mahbooba (Aus) (Galileo {Ire}). The March-foaled homebred is also a full-brother to G3 Diamond S. victor Mootasadir (GB) and hails from a family featuring GISW US champion Shamrock Rose (First Dude) and MGSW sire Slew the Red (Red Ransom).

Saturday, Lingfield, Britain
BETWAY WINTER DERBY S.-G3, £100,000, Lingfield, 2-22, 4yo/up, 10f (AWT), 2:01.64, st.
1–DUBAI WARRIOR (GB), 126, c, 4, by Dansili (GB)
1st Dam: Mahbooba (Aus) (Ch. 2yo Filly-SAf,
G1SW-SAf, GSW-UAE & SW-Eng, $905,805),
by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Sogha (Aus), by Red Ransom
3rd Dam: Marple, by Diesis (GB)
1ST GROUP WIN. O-Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al
Maktoum; B-Essafinaat Ltd (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco
Dettori. £56,020. Lifetime Record: 7-5-1-0, $134,888. *Full to
Mootasadir (GB), GSW-Ire, SW & GSP-Eng, $143,030. Werk
Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Court House (Ire), 126, g, 5, Dawn Approach (Ire)–Crossanza
(Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). (€38,000 RNA Wlg ’15 GOFNOV;
€200,000 Ylg ’16 GOFORB). O-HRH Princess Haya of Jordan;
B-Nanallac Stud (IRE); T-John Gosden. £21,330.
3–Bangkok (Ire), 126, c, 4, Australia (GB)–Tanaghum (GB), by
Darshaan (GB). (500,000gns Ylg ’17 TATOCT). O-King Power
Racing Co Ltd; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding.
£10,680.
Margins: 2 3/4, HF, 4 3/4. Odds: 1.63, 16.00, 0.62.
Also Ran: Dalgarno (Fr), Entangling (Ire), Pactolus (Ire), Master the World (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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