Jungle Cat, Baccarat & Comicas bid for G1 sprint honours

Jungle Cat and Baccarat face each other for a third time this year at Meydan, UAE, in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (18.00hrs local time) on turf, run over a new distance of six furlongs, on Dubai World Cup Night, Saturday, March 25.
 
The Charlie Appleby-trained duo have finished first and second over the same distance on turf twice during the Dubai World Cup Carnival, with eight-year-old Baccarat (Colm O'Donoghue, drawn 12) edging out his stable companion by a neck in a handicap on January 26.
 
Jungle Cat (William Buick, drawn five) gained his revenge when scoring handily by two lengths in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint on Super Saturday, March 4, with the five-year-old Iffraaj horse having also finished second behind impressive winner Ertijaal in the five-furlong G3 Meydan Sprint on February 16.
 
The Godolphin runners take on 10 others headed by Ertijaal, the 2016 Darley July Cup and Prix de la Foret victor Limato and Hong Kong challenger Amazing Kids.
 
Charlie Appleby commented: “Jungle Cat came on for his first run out here in Dubai and put up a very good performance to finish second to Ertijaal over five furlongs in the Meydan Sprint.
 
“He appreciated the step back up to six furlongs last time and goes into this race in very good order.
 
“We have Ertijaal to beat again, but I feel more confident taking him on over this distance.
 
“Baccarat beat Jungle Cat on his first outing this year and met a bit of traffic in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint.
 
“He was doing his best work at the end and I think a strongly-run six furlongs is going to suit him. He is a player for the placings.”
 
Charlie Appleby and William Buick also team up with Comicas, who is drawn in stall 13 in the other feature sprint on Dubai World Cup Night, the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (18.35hrs local time) over six furlongs on dirt.
 
The four-year-old has produced two sound efforts over the same course and distance this year, following up a comfortable success in a handicap on February 11 with a staying-on fourth behind Morawij, Cool Cowboy and Dundonnell in the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal on Super Saturday.
 
His 13 rivals include the first three home from that race, plus US raiders Mind Your Biscuits and St Joe Bay.
 
Charlie Appleby added: “Comicas won well on his first start over six furlongs on dirt and it was a fair performance in the Mahab Al Shimaal.
 
“He is taking on a different calibre of horse and will find this tougher but he is a course and distance winner and deserves a crack at a top race like this.”