Zabeel Mile For Safety Check & Outstrip

Time/Date - 21.40hrs local time/Thursday, February 26, 2015
Racecourse/Country - Meydan/UAE
Surface/Distance - Turf/1m

Safety Check bids for another major turf prize at Meydan, UAE, in the Zabeel Mile Sponsored By Al Naboodah Construction Group with Outstrip also lining up in the Group Two contest on Thursday, February 26.

Four-year-old Safety Check (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) stormed to an easy two-length victory in the Group Two Al Fahidi Fort Sponsored By Gulf News in a new course record time over seven furlongs on January 22.

The Dubawi colt also scored decisively in a turf handicap over the same course and distance on January 8 and gained a pair of handicap wins, also over seven furlongs, in the UK last year, including when getting up on the line in a valuable contest at Ascot in September.

Fellow four-year-old Outstrip (Charlie Appleby/James Doyle) returns to turf after finishing down the field on dirt in the mile Group Two Al Maktoum Challenge Round One Presented By Longines Conquest Classic Moon Phases at Meydan on January 8.

He made four appearances over a mile on turf in the UK last year, including when third behind Classic winners Kingman and Night Of Thunder in the Group One St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

The son of Exceed And Excel gained a thrilling victory in the Grade One Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, also over a mile, at Santa Anita, USA, in November, 2013.

Charlie Appleby reported: "Safety Check is a typical Carnival horse who is on the upgrade.

"He has really enjoyed being out in Dubai but the only slight negatives this time are that he has to carry a penalty and is stepping back up to a mile.

"He is great nick and hopefully he can be competitive again.

"Outstrip is on a little bit of a rebuilding mission. His work was good going into Round One of the Maktoum Challenge but he clearly showed that he didn't appreciate running on dirt.

"Hopefully, the return to turf should allow him to show some of his old form."

Safety Check, drawn five, and Outstrip, emerging from stall three, face nine others including dual Meydan handicap scorer Dark Emerald, Group One third Darwin and Group One Dubai Duty Free fifth Anaerobio.

Godolphin has been successful in the Zabeel Mile with Third Set (2008), Rileyskeepingfaith (2011) and Do It All (2012).