Storm Damage leads home Listed clean sweep

Progressive four-year-old Storm Damage lowered the course record when making all to beat Mutafawwig and Modern News in the Listed Business Bay Challenge on week five of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, Friday, 11 February.

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained son of Night Of Thunder was appearing at Meydan for a second time this year, having finished a close fourth behind Naval Crown over the same seven-furlong distance in the G2 Al Fahidi Fort three weeks earlier.

After showing good speed from the gates, Storm Damage was immediately sent to the front of the 16 runners by Pat Cosgrave, a length and a half ahead of Mutafawwig in second.

Storm Damage kicked for home a furlong and a half out and streaked further clear inside the final furlong, coming home three and a quarter lengths clear of Mutafawwig.

Modern News stayed on to take third, a further neck in arrears, with D’bai coming home fifth following a wide trip.

Storm Damage’s winning time of 1m 21.77s shaved a quarter of a second off the previous course record, set by Naval Crown in the Al Fahidi Fort.

Saeed bin Suroor said: “I have always liked Storm Damage. In the past we have given him time and looked after him. His form in England is good and he ran well on his first start here last time. He finished fourth but needed the race and has improved.

“The horse showed plenty of speed and a good turn of foot. I spoke to the jockey after the race and he said that he can go a mile but seven furlongs is perfect for him.

“Given the speed he showed, I think he could drop back to six furlongs. It is possible that he could go for the G1 Al Quoz Sprint.”

Pat Cosgrave added: “Storm Damage is quite a smart horse. He is not straightforward and likes to get on with it. He is quirky and all credit must go to the team at home who have done a good job of getting him to relax.

“Last summer, he was very keen in his races whereas today he got to the front and relaxed nicely. Although he is a horse who likes to get on with it, he keeps going as well, which not many do. It was a good performance.

“He won off 108 today and was impressive. He beat Mutafawwig, whom I rode the last day and thought was the one to beat. They are two improving horses and the next step is back into better company.

“Storm Damage stayed a mile on the July Course last summer but I think that if you go further than seven furlongs, you are complicating things. He likes to get on with it and, when he switched leads, he put the race to bed quickly.”