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Godolphin treble at Meydan started by Top Score & Alabaster

There were three Godolphin winners at Meydan, UAE, on the evening of Thursday, February 9, the sixth week of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, with the first two trained by Saeed bin Suroor.

Top Score landed the 12-runner Meydan Classic Trial, staged over seven furlongs on turf, in a thrilling finish.

The three-year-old Hard Spun colt was slightly slow into his stride, though he quickly recovered to race third on the inside.

Top Score took the lead with over a furlong and a half left, but was strongly challenged and headed by Nobelium inside the final furlong

The Godolphin contender rallied gamely and went back in front in the closing stages, just holding off the runner-up by a nose in 1m 24.45s.

Successful jockey Adrie de Vries said: “I was headed and I thought the race was gone.

“My fellow is tough and battled back but I was a bit worried for a moment. He had a good draw which always helps and a nice bit of cover.

“We probably hit the front a bit early but he was tough right through to the line. He is just as good on the dirt.”

A battling performance from Alabaster saw the five-year-old gain the honours in the Range Rover Sport Handicap over 10 furlongs on dirt.

Partnered by Oisin Murphy, Alabaster was a bit tardy out of the stalls before taking a prominent position and racing in fourth of the 11 runners towards the outside, avoiding much of the kickback.

He moved up to be a close second entering the final bend and went for home with three and a half furlongs remaining.

Alabaster was challenged and headed by Etijaah just inside the final furlong. But he regained the advantage in the closing stages to score by a neck from dead-heaters Emotionless (Charlie Appleby/William Buick), who came from behind to finish strongly, and Etijaah in 2m 4.25s.

Oisin Murphy said: “I pulled out three deep after the first turn when I could have stayed in but I didn’t want a horse coming round me and then me struggling for a stride with kickback in my face, so I played it safe.

“It could have cost me the race, but thankfully didn’t. I thought the horse had a hard race last time because he didn’t really go and I was very tough on him but it probably gave him that bit of confidence just to finish off this race.

“Today he was up in trip and travelled much sweeter. Saeed and his team have done a great job in keeping the horse happy.

“Alabaster has a lot of experience in America and probably knows more about racing than myself!”