Safety Check Wins Al Fahidi Fort For Second Year Running

Safety Check was triumphant for a second successive year in the Group Two Al Fahidi Fort Sponsored By Meydan Sobha over seven furlongs on turf at Meydan, UAE on Thursday, January 21.

The length and three quarters victory by the Charlie Appleby-trained five-year-old horse was all the more meritorious as he broke the track record by a hundredth of a second, stopping the clock at 1m 22.77s.

The son of Dubawi, partnered again by William Buick, was fast away and raced a bit keenly before being tucked in to dispute fourth as Ghaamer set a quick pace up front and stretched the nine-strong field.

Safety Check, asked to progress in the straight, ran on strongly to go second and then took the lead inside the final furlong, winning smoothly from South African challenger Harry's Son.

Last year Safety Check recorded a facile four-length success and went on to win the Group Two Zabeel Mile in good style the following month. The plan is the same this year.

Charlie Appleby commented: "I was delighted with the performance of Safety Check, who is ultra consistent. His work has been good and we had him fitter for his first start this year. He ticked all the boxes coming into this race - fitness, training well, turning track and seven furlongs.

"They have gone a strong gallop up in front and I must admit that I thought we had a bit to find with the leaders turning in. But it was ideal for him to have something to aim at because he has got such a good turn of foot.

"He gets off the plane out here and blossoms. He thrives out here with his training but, more importantly, the style of racing at Meydan suits him. I have always been confident that he is a force to be reckoned with on a turning track and good ground.

"We will have another crack at the Zabeel Mile (Group Two turf, Meydan, February 25) now and then we will decide what to do. There is not too much for him on turf at the Carnival after that and I don't know whether we might drop him back in trip, try further or have a spin on the dirt.

"He trains well on dirt at home and you can see the same turn of foot as he has on turf. We will get the Zabeel Mile out of the way first and then see where we are."

William Buick added: "Safety Check is a stable favourite and the team have prepared him well again this year, so all credit goes to them. Fair play to the whole team and the horse.

"Tonight was a bit tricky because there was such a strong pace. Safety Check usually travels very well but he got taken out of his comfort zone early on. It was a bit difficult to judge when to push the button because he has got that electric turn of foot but it doesn't last for very long.

"He has got the job done and I am not surprised that he has broken the track record because it was a very quick race - more like a sprint than a seven-furlong race."It was a good performance from a good horse."