Yibir flies home to take second in G1 Dubai Sheema Classic

Yibir produced a storming late run to get within a neck of winning the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic on Dubai World Cup Night at Meydan on Saturday, 26 March.

Last season’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf hero adopted his customary position at the rear and was five lengths adrift of the field early on before halving the gap after the first half-mile. He started to take closer order around horses turning in but still had the vast majority of the field in front of him as William Buick steered the Charlie Appleby-trained son of Dubawi widest of all in the straight.

Yibir hit top gear approaching the final furlong and closed inexorably on the leaders, getting up for second near the line, with the post coming just in time for last year’s G1 Japanese Derby winner Shahryar.

Charlie Appleby said: “First and foremost, I am delighted with Yibir. That is his first run since November, which was a little concern of mine, but Shane Fetherstonhaugh and the lads back home have done a great job of getting him ready.

“That is how we ride him. He has loads of characteristics and you do not always know which Yibir will turn up, but his last four runs at this level have been absolutely rock solid. I think he has proven himself one of the best mile and a half horses going into the season ahead.

“The plan was always to come here and then go for the G1 Man o’War Stakes in May. That is back to Belmont where we know the track suits him and, on the back of this, he is going to be hard to beat.

“I had a chat with William and personally I would say let’s work backwards from the Breeders’ Cup. We have the two boys back home – Adayar and Hurricane Lane – and they are going to be mixing it over the mile and a half in Europe, whereas Yibir will be on his travels.”