Safety Checks In For More Meydan Success

Time/Date - 20.45hrs local time/Thursday, February 25, 2016
Racecourse/Country - Meydan/UAE
Surface/Distance - Turf/1m

Safety Check is out to continue his remarkable run of form on the turf of Meydan, UAE, in the G2 Zabeel Mile Sponsored By Al Naboodah Construction Group, the feature race of this week's Dubai World Cup Carnival fixture on Thursday, February 25.

The Charlie Appleby-trained five-year-old has won on all four of his most recent starts at the course

The son of Dubawi set a new course record of 1m 22:77s for seven furlongs on turf at Meydan with a smooth victory in the G2 Al Fahidi Fort Sponsored By Meydan Sobha on January 21.

Safety Check was successful in both the Zabeel Mile Sponsored By Al Naboodah Construction Group and the Al Fahidi Fort Sponsored By Meydan Sobha at the 2015 Dubai World Cup Carnival and also captured a seven-furlong handicap.

William Buick, who has ridden Safety Check to all three of his Group wins at Meydan, partners the son of Dubawi again.

Charlie Appleby said: "We said before the Al Fahidi Fort that we felt Safety Check was a better horse compared to last year and he has done well since winning that race.

"He is coming up against a few horses who didn't run in the Al Fahidi Fort but Safety Check is clear on ratings and heads into Thursday's contest in good order.

"The step up in trip is not a massive concern, especially around Meydan. We feel that a mile is his maximum distance but he won this race last year and looks to have another excellent chance."

Safety Check is drawn four of the 10 runners.

Godolphin is due to have five horses race on Thursday's card including Marking (Kiaran McLaughlin/William Buick), who lines up under joint top-weight in the Al Naboodah National Plant Trophy Handicap (20.10hrs local time) over six furlongs on dirt.

The four-year-old Bernardini colt, a G1 runner-up in the USA in December, made an unlucky Carnival debut in the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint Sponsored By Gulfnews.com on February 11, when he stumbled badly leaving the stalls and unseated James Doyle.

Kiaran McLaughlin reported: "Marking had a few superficial scrapes after the Al Shindagha Sprint but is fine now. He worked very well on Saturday morning - William Buick has sat on the horse and gotten to know him.

"It was just an unlucky thing that happened last time out but we are glad that both James Doyle and Marking are OK.

"Hopefully, he can run well this week and then we can look to taking him straight to Dubai World Cup night (March 26)."

Think Ahead (Saeed bin Suroor/William Buick) was a comfortable winner of a 10-furlong turf handicap at Meydan on February 4 and the five-year-old tries to follow up over the same course and distance in the Al Naboodah Commercial Division Trophy Handicap (21.20hrs local time).

Last year's Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline second and 2014 Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome looks set to provide stern opposition for Good Contact (Saeed bin Suroor/Edward Greatrex), who failed by a short-head to succeed on his first start on dirt in a handicap on January 14, in the 10-furlong Trans Gulf Electromechanical Trophy Handicap (21.55hrs local time) on dirt.

Baccarat (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) makes his first appearance since October, 2014, in the closing Al Naboodah Civils Division Trophy Handicap (22.30hrs local time) over six furlongs on turf.