African Story And Prince Bishop Dominate Round Three

African Story and Prince Bishop fought out a thrilling finish to the Group One Al Maktoum Challenge Round Three Sponsored By Emirates Airline over 10 furlongs on dirt at Meydan, UAE, on Super Saturday, March 7.

Both Saeed bin Suroor-trained eight-year-olds will now head for the world's richest race, the US$10 million Group One Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline on March 28, which returns to dirt from Tapeta this year and was won by African Story in 2014.

African Story, seventh on his dirt debut in the Group Two Al Maktoum Challenge Round Two Empowered by IPIC on February 5, made the early running before racing in third on the inside rail behind Storm Belt and Frankyfourfingers.

He was switched off the rail by James Doyle with half a mile to race and stayed on to go third passing the three-furlong pole.

African Story made relentless headway in the straight, taking the lead from Frankyfourfingers just inside the final furlong but had to be kept up to his work near the line as Prince Bishop laid down a strong late challenge.

Prince Bishop, ridden by William Buick, raced at the rear of the nine runners for much of the race and still had six rivals in front of him entering the straight before flashing home to go down by a neck to African Story, who won in 2m 4.92s.

Henry Clay was three and a half lengths back in third with fourth home Frankfourfingers a further four and a half lengths in arrears.

Saeed bin Suroor commented: "African Story never runs well first time out and needed the run in Round Two of the Maktoum Challenge. I thought that he would love the dirt if he was on the outside and out of the kickback.

"We need the Dubai World Cup winner to show something and, thank God, African Story won.

"Prince Bishop came from last to second again and both he and African Story will head back to the Dubai World Cup with good chances."

James Doyle added: "All of the team were happy with African Story leading into this race. We were slightly concerned before his first run of the year but he has been training very well since then.

"His first run on dirt was a bit of a shock to the system - getting all of the sand in his face caught him off guard - but he was more prepared for it today. He knuckled down well and will improve again for the run.

"I didn't really want to make the running and I was more concerned about getting off the fence. Your hands are always forced a little bit when you are down on the rail. I was keen to get to get off the rail but it didn't really happen because Frankyfourfingers arrived on my outside and held me there, which was fair enough.

"He got a bit of sand in his face tonight, not as much as Round Two, but he should improve for the experience."

African Story provided Godolphin with a 14th victory in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round Three following Cezanne (1994), Dover Straits (1995), Tamayaz (1996), Kammtarra (1997), Spindrift (1999), Dubai Millennium (2000), Street Cry (2002), Grandera (2003), Electrocutionist (2006), Jalil (2008), Capponi (2012), Hunter's Light (2013) and Prince Bishop (2014).