Symbol Of Honour chases more Meydan glory in Dubai Trophy

Emerging sprinter Symbol Of Honour bids for back-to-back Meydan victories in the Dubai Trophy, highlight of this week’s Dubai Racing Carnival fixture on Friday, 7 February.

A Listed runner-up in the UK last season, the Charlie Appleby-trained three-year-old tenaciously saw off West Acre to take the Al Wasl Stakes over the same six-furlong trip in January.

That form received a significant boost in the G2 Blue Point Sprint on Fashion Friday, in which West Acre easily beat a field of seasoned campaigners.

Charlie Appleby said: “The form of the Al Wasl Stakes is working out quite well and Symbol Of Honour appears to have come forward for the run. We are not taking on West Acre this time, although this race has a slightly more competitive feel compared to the Al Wasl. He should hopefully be the one to beat.”

Friday’s action includes two feature handicaps on the turf and Godolphin is triple handed in both races.

Arabian Light remains over nine furlongs for the Lord Glitters Handicap after finishing third behind last week’s G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes scorer First Conquest in the Lord North Handicap.

His trainer Charlie Appleby also runs Kalidasa, who was runner-up over 12 furlongs on his Meydan debut. Movie Maker makes a first appearance over nine furlongs for Saeed bin Suroor, with the four-year-old having twice won over shorter in the UK.

El Cordobes and Endless Victory reoppose in the 12-furlong Vazirabad Handicap, with the Charlie Appleby-trained duo having filled the places over a mile and a quarter at the start of the year.  Stable-mate Royal Power has also run well at Meydan this winter, finishing third over the Vazirabad Handicap course and distance in December’s Dubai Racing Club Classic.

The 2022 G1 St Leger runner-up New London concedes weight all round on his dirt debut in a 10-furlong handicap. Arabian Story also lines up on dirt in a mile conditions race, having finished sixth on his racecourse bow in the UAE 2,000 Guineas Trial.

Olympic Candle returns to six furlongs for a turf handicap, with the four-year-old having won a Kempton Park novice race on his only previous appearance over the trip. Arabic Art, fifth on his Meydan debut last month, races over a mile for the first time in a turf handicap that kicks off the card.