Classic joy for Dubai Love in UAE 1,000 Guineas

Dubai Love stayed on powerfully for a decisive victory in the mile Listed UAE 1,000 Guineas at Meydan, UAE, on Thursday, 23 January.

The Night Of Thunder filly, stepping back up in trip after coming home fourth in the seven-furlong trial for the dirt Classic on Thursday, 2 January, raced slightly keenly in third on the inside rail behind Down On Da Bayou and Final Song.

Dubai Love was switched out by Pat Cosgrave to deliver her challenge with two furlongs to race and quickened strongly to hit the front just inside the final furlong, before going away to beat Down On Da Bayou by three and a quarter lengths.

Final Song (Saeed bin Suroor/Christophe Soumillon), who had beaten both Dubai Love and Down On Da Bayou in the trial, held every chance in the straight but faded in the closing stages to finish third, going down by just over five lengths in total.

Saeed bin Suroor said: “Dubai Love finished fourth in the trial but her pedigree, together with the way she had been training, suggested that she would stay this trip. “She is a very tough filly, who shows her class in the mornings, and improved a lot from the trial. I wanted her to be handy and she travelled well the whole way. When she came into the straight, she took up the lead and finished very well.

“I spoke to Pat Cosgrave afterwards and he said that the extended nine furlongs of the G3 UAE Oaks (Thursday, 20 February) would be even better for her.

“Final Song didn’t stay the mile and we knew there was a question mark over the trip as all her best form last year came over five and six furlongs. She is improving all the time and we will have a look at another Group race for her.”

Pat Cosgrave said: “I said after riding Dubai Love in the trial that she would love going up to a mile. She did not jump overly quick in the trial but it was only her third start and she was more streetwise tonight.

“I was quietly confident that she would finish second, but I did not know if she would be good enough to beat Final Song, even though there was a question mark about her stamina.

“Dubai Love is out of a Dylan Thomas mare and has a mile and a quarter written all over her. I said to Saeed and his team after the trial that she would win the UAE Oaks, because she has a real staying pedigree.”