Leshlaa heads 1-2-3 for Godolphin in final race
Racenews
9 February, 2018
Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor enjoyed a treble on the night when Leshlaa led home a 1-2-3 for the owner in the concluding 10-furlong turf handicap on Thursday, 8 February, at Meydan, UAE.
The four-year Street Cry colt, partnered by Pat Cosgrave, was settled in sixth place as Banksea (Charlie Appleby/James Doyle) soon took the field along.
Travelling well within himself as the 14 runners turned in, Leshlaa moved into a challenging position after straightening up and took over the advantage from Banksea entering the final furlong.
He lengthened well for an impressive four and a quarter length success in 2m 02.33s. Blair House (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) stayed on well from off the pace to take second, with Banksea another three quarters of a length back in third.
Saeed bin Suroor, out ahead in the 2018 Dubai World Cup Carnival Trainers’ Championship with 10 winners, explained: “Leshlaa has done well and was relaxed tonight whereas last time he was too keen.
“The jockey looked after him in the race and they have won in good style. We are thinking of running Leshlaa next in the G3 Dubai Millennium (over the same course and distance on 22 February).
“I am happy to see the horses running so well.”
Pat Cosgrave, partnering his second winner of the night after Winter Lightning’s success in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas, added: “Leshlaa is a very smart horse when things go right.
“It suits him in a big field back a little bit, as you can get cover, and it helps when they go a gallop as well.
“The last day was a muddling affair – we walked around – and it just didn’t suit him. Mind you, it was his first run back for a while and he was a little bit fresh.
“Saeed and the team had him spot on for tonight and he quickened up good when the gap came. The race was over pretty quickly and he has good turn of foot when things pan out.
“It is nice he has got his head back in front. I said to the lads afterwards that the better races tend to be smaller fields and they might not be up his street, but he definitely has the quality to be running in Group races.”
