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Street Cry streets ahead
Sheikh Mohammed regained the Dubai
World Cup he lost in 2001 as Street Cry, one of four Godolphin-trained
runners in the eleven-strong field, ran out the resounding winner
of the world's richest race under the lights of Nad Al Sheba on
Saturday, March 23.
A victory for Godolphin had been roundly
anticipated - but not in this fashion. Sakhee, the highest
rated horse in the International Classifications 2001, went to post
seemingly unbeatable on the strength of a narrow defeat in the Breeders'
Cup Classic (his first run on dirt) and a comprehensive six-length
thrashing of the competition in Europe's ultimate championship race,
the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe last October.
But Street Cry had a few aces
in the pack, however, not least jockey Jerry Bailey, already successful
in the race three times with Cigar in 1996, Singspiel in 1997 and
Captain Steve in 2001.
He was also a more natural performer
on dirt than Sakhee. Irish-bred but raised in California,
each of his ten career starts (never having finished out of the
money) arrived on that surface prior to the US$6 million question
that is the World Cup. Street Cry's sire Machiavellian
also produced another surprise winner in Almutawakel for Godolphin
in 1999.
Instead, it was a two-pronged Japanese
challenge that was rated as the greater threat to Sakhee's
dominance with good reason. Last year's runner-up To The Victory
was present as was the Hong Kong Cup winner Agnes Digital,
equally at home on turf and dirt, the winner of his last five races
and with eight wins from 13 career starts on dirt.
Western Pride from America
set the early tempo as To The Victory raced outside with
Street Cry racing near the fence in midfield. Sakhee,
meanwhile, was travelling well but trapped deep on the track. Agnes
Digital, on the other hand, never looked comfortable.
As they swung for home, the wheels
came off Western Pride's bid for glory and he moved off the
rail allowing Bailey to spear Street Cry through the gap
and go full-blooded for the wire. Sakhee, ridden by Frankie
Dettori, had no answer to this lethal kick and Street Cry
careered away to win by 41/4 lengths from
the staying-on Saudi-based runner Sei Mi. Sakhee was
a similar gap further back in third.
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TV Broadcast
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Cable
TV Channel 18 and ATV Home Channel will show
a recording of the Dubai Sheema Classic before live broadcasting
the Dubai World Cup (7th race) from 1:25 a.m. to 1:55
a.m. on Sunday(24 March). Tune in and be sure you
won't miss these exciting races. |
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Race Replay
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