Valiant Prince brings up hat-trick with impressive Meydan win

Improving four-year-old Valiant Prince claimed a third straight victory over a mile with an emphatic display in the closing turf handicap on week six of the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan, Friday, 18 February.

The son of Dubawi had scored by nine lengths at Chelmsford City in September before making a winning start to his year in a non-Carnival contest at Meydan in January. Settled in fifth on the inside rail, Valiant Prince quickened strongly to hit the front entering the final quarter-mile and stormed clear in a matter of strides.

Dubai Mirage gave chase in the closing stages but could not challenge Valiant Prince, who was eased close home to score by three and a half lengths in a course record time of 1m 34.47s.

Charlie Appleby said: “I was delighted with Valiant Prince’s attitude tonight. They have gone a rare gallop on the front end, which has helped us, but he has done it all very professionally. He travelled well and picked up well.

“He has a pedigree and of course potentially could be a nice horse. He has progressed quite quickly out of handicaps now and we will look towards some Black Type races back in the UK.”

William Buick said: “Valiant Prince is very energetic and the hood definitely had a positive effect. It was also a strongly run race and it just enabled him to do everything the right way around. The last time he won here it was a case of him getting away with it having done a bit too much up front.

“He has always shown lots of potential and hopefully he can get it together. He is still relatively lightly raced and beat some well-seasoned horses there.

“These evenings are very important and I am very privileged to be riding these horses in the first place. They are prepared beautifully by the team and everything is now building up towards Dubai World Cup Night, with Super Saturday in early March. It is a very important time of the year.”