Pyromancer closes well for third in G2 UAE Derby

Pyromancer stayed on following a wide trip to take third behind Wonder Dean and Six Speed in the G2 UAE Derby at Meydan on Dubai World Cup Night, Saturday, 28 March. 

The Pyro colt brought an unbeaten record into his first start outside of Japan, having followed up a debut win at Kyoto with a half-length defeat of Wonder Dean in a Stakes race at the same course before winning the Jpn G1 Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki. 

Squeezed by Labwah and Brotherly Love leaving the stalls, Pyromancer raced in seventh of the 11 runners heading into the first turn as UAE 2,000 Guineas winner Six Speed blazed into a clear lead. 

Pyromancer charted a wide course throughout under James Doyle and tracked the run of Wonder Dean entering the final half-mile, with the Keiji Yoshimura-trained runner moving up to third three furlongs out. 

Wonder Dean ate into Six Speed’s advantage in the straight as the front two quickened eight lengths clear of the field with a furlong and a half to race. Pyromancer saw off a persistent challenge from Brotherly Love inside the final furlong and hit the line well, going down by eight and a half lengths in total. 

Harry Sweeney, President of Godolphin in Japan, said: “We are a little disappointed that Pyromancer didn’t finish in the first two, but we are not devastated as he ran a decent race. He didn’t disgrace himself and did Japan proud. 

“In truth, he got a little worked up when he came over to Dubai – he had to travel on his own and only three horses came from Japan. He lost some weight and was a little light before the race. 

“This was compounded in a lost-in-translation moment just before the race, in so far that he was wearing a hood to keep him settled in the preliminaries that was supposed to come off at the gates, but it didn’t happen for whatever reason. It wasn’t ideal and he had a wide trip before racing on very well at the end, so we are neutral about the result. He raced well, but we would have liked him to at least finish second. It means he unfortunately won’t be going to Kentucky. 

“We felt it was important to come for the 30th Dubai World Cup Night and, under the circumstances, we are proud that a horse representing Japan and Godolphin has run so well.”