Jungle Cat, racing over five furlongs for the first time, was caught in the closing stages and beaten a nose despite rallying well in the G3 Meydan Sprint Sponsored By Arabian Adventures on turf at Meydan, UAE, on Super Saturday, March 5.
Jungle Cat, racing over five furlongs for the first time, was caught in the closing stages and beaten a nose despite rallying well in the G3 Meydan Sprint Sponsored By Arabian Adventures on turf at Meydan, UAE, on Super Saturday, March 5.
The four-year-old Iffraaj colt, trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, soon raced prominently and enjoyed a narrow lead with a quarter-mile remaining.
He still held the advantage until deep inside the final furlong when Fityaan challenged on his outside and Sole Power on his inside.
Fityaan edged to the front as Jungle Cat came back again and Sole Power finished well. The winning margin was the narrowest available, with a short-head between second and third, and Fityaan hit the line in a fast 57.07s.
The first three were clear of the fourth of the 11 runners.
Charlie Appleby commented: "I was delighted with Jungle Cat today and he has booked himself a ticket for the Al Quoz Sprint (G1, 5f, turf, Meydan, March 26).
"It was a huge performance and I thought we were the winner a furlong from home. Sole Power came with his usual late dash and Fityaan has half-mugged us on the line.
"Jungle Cat has backed up his first run of the year and we can look forward to rolling the dice again on Dubai World Cup night."
Jungle Cat, a smart two-year-old, had raced previously 10 times over six furlongs and once over seven furlongs.
He quickened smartly for an impressive victory in a six-furlong turf handicap at Meydan on January 28, his first race for over seven months.
Jungle Cat lost a shoe after emerging from the stalls in the G1 Commonwealth Cup over six furlongs at Royal Ascot, UK, in June but ran much better when second over the same trip in a Newbury Listed race the previous month.
He put up some fine efforts in 2014, notably when beaten a nose by subsequent champion sprinter Muhaarar in the G2 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes at York.
