Country Grammer provided Frankie Dettori with a fourth success in the Dubai World Cup at Meydan.
The winning horse over the dirt was trained by Bob Baffert, who himself collected a fourth World Cup success despite controversy back home in the United States, where he is fighting a series of legal battles over Medina Spirit’s positive post-race test for banned substances when winning last year’s Kentucky Derby.
Baffert has recently lost four Kentucky Derby hopefuls after owners moved them to new trainers to allow them to run in this year’s race on 7 May. The trainer of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify is banned from his horses competing at Churchill Downs, where the Derby is held.
He received that two-year ban last June but is still allowed to compete elsewhere and duly collected another World Cup to follow training the winners of the 1998, 2001 and 2017 winners on Silver Charm, Captain Steve and Arrogate respectively. Medina Spirit himself died of a heart attack while training in Santa Anita last December.
Dettori won his first Dubai showpiece event aboard the great Dubai Millennium in 2000 and on Moon Ballad in 2003 and Electrocutionist in 2006. Having earlier finished in a dead heat with Japanese runner Panthalassa for the Dubai Turf, the Italian’s mount was part of a formidable American World Cup contingent headed by red-hot favourite Life Is Good.
Fontwell Park 1.00 Dom Of Mary 1.30 Friend Or Foe 2.05 Amelia's Dance 2.40 Give Me A Moment 3.15 Whatsupwithyou 3.50 Twenty Twenty 4.25 Rambo T
Uttoxeter 1.55 Lleyton 2.30 Amadorio 3.00 Karl Philippe 3.35 Sainte Doctor 4.10 River Legend 4.45 Larkbarrow Lad 5.20 Touchy Feely
Wolverhampton 6.00 Intervention 6.30 Carpe Fortuna 7.00 Red Flyer (nb) 7.30 Plumette (nap) 8.00 Dungar Glory 8.30 Killearn
Todd Pletcher’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner had successfully stepped up to nine furlongs in the Pegasus World Cup in January. He got off to his usual fast start and led the field into the home turn, but it was obvious with a furlong to run that the petrol tank was emptying quickly and he faded into fourth.
Dettori meanwhile delivered Country Grammer and was well on top at the line, with Hot Rod Charlie staying on strongly to finish second with Japan’s Chuwa Wizard in third.
“He’s a big horse and did exactly what I wanted him to do until the half-mile pole when I thought Life Is Good was getting away from me,” said Dettori. “I started trying something different to get him on the right leg, give him some fresh air and fill his lungs. Passing the furlong marker I thought ‘I’ve won this’. The last furlong was amazing - such a great feeling.
Lingfield Park 1.00 Broughtons Flare 1.30 Hackbridge 2.00 Scampi 2.35 Miss Bella Brand 3.10 Alrehb (nap) 3.45 Golden Sands
Market Rasen 1.45 Doctor Ken 2.20 Forever Des Long 2.55 Thirtyfourstitches 3.30 The Street 4.05 Heritier 4.40 Alberic
Wincanton 2.10 The Raven's Return 2.45 Askinvillar 3.20 Yauthym 3.55 Maliboo 4.30 Esprit De Somoza (nb) 5.05 Stormin Crossgales
Kempton Park 5.00 She's Hot 5.30 Pluperfect 6.00 Above It All 6.30 Solanna 7.00 Rainbow Fire 7.30 Roman Mist 8.00 Savoy Brown 8.30 Violet's Lads
“Life Is Good is one of the best, but if there was a chink in his armour it was the mile and a quarter. This is an important race, and Dubai has taken up a good chunk of my life. Coming back it was as if I’m part of the furniture.”
Johan takes the Lincoln for Channon and De Sousa
Johan made a successful debut for the Mick Channon team with an impressive display in the SBK Lincoln at Doncaster. A six-time winner for William Haggas, the five-year-old switched yards during the off-season and was a 28-1 shot for the traditional Flat season curtain-raiser in the hands of Silvestre de Sousa.
Always to to the fore, Johan quickened up to take over the lead from Saleymm deep inside the final furlong and passed the post with a length and a quarter in hand. Saleymm was a clear second, with Rogue Bear making late gains to beat Irish Admiral to third.
