Godolphin 1-2 in Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint

Impressive Jungle Cat beat stable companion Baccarat in the inaugural Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint over six furlongs on Super Saturday, March 4, at Meydan, UAE.
 
Both horses are trained by Charlie Appleby, with William Buick up on Jungle Cat who emerged from stall six, while Colm O’Donoghue was in the saddle on Baccarat who broke from the outside draw, 16.
 
The two sprinters were held up as a strong pace was set up front among the 16 runners, with Jungle Cat chasing the leaders in 10th and Baccarat further behind.
 
Jungle Cat started to make good progress at halfway and hit the front with a furlong and half remaining.
 
The five-year-old Iffraaj horse soon went clear, drifting right, but scored decisively by two lengths from Baccarat who finished well but could never get to grips with the winner. The runner-up was in turn another length and three quarters ahead of the third, The Right Man.
 
The time of 1m 9.21s was very fast, being just 0.23s outside the Meydan record for six furlongs on turf.
 
Charlie Appleby declared: “Both our horses have been in really good order but we felt on home form that Jungle Cat would finish ahead of Baccarat.
 
“Jungle Cat brought proven form in Group races to the table, while Baccarat has yet to do that, though he is making headway.”
 
Both horses are likely to take on Ertijaal in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint over the same course and distance on Dubai World Cup night (March 25).
 
The trainer said: “I respect Ertijaal fully – he is the sharpest sprinter around here at the present time. He has to go to six furlongs which might help us out slightly but he is the horse to beat.
 
“My two horses deserve to go to the Al Quoz now and they won’t look out of place in the line-up.”
 
William Buick added: “Jungle Cat is better at six furlongs which is definitely his preferred trip but ,when he ran over five furlongs the last time in a Group Three, he took on a five-furlong specialist in Ertijaal.
 
“He really deserved to get a win under his belt again, because he has been running consistently all year. He is so game and feels as good as he has ever been.
 
“Jungle Cat could not have done it any better today and there is plenty of time until the Al Quoz so hopefully he will be there with a shout.”