St Nick's Abbey repels Gentildonna -Sheema Classic
Mar 30, 2013 14:00:15 GMT -5
Post by Jon on Mar 30, 2013 14:00:15 GMT -5
St Nicholas Abbey repels Gentildonna in Sheema Classic
One year after coming up a neck short in the Group 1, $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic, St Nicholas Abbey got the job done in Saturday's renewal, overturning even-money favorite Gentildonna in course-record fashion.
Trained by Aidan O'Brien for Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the 3-1 second choice represented his connections' second triumph on the night, with stablemate Lines of Battle drawing first blood in the Group 2 U.A.E. Derby.
Young rider Joseph O'Brien couldn't make the weight aboard Lines of Battle, who was guided by Ryan Moore, but he did engineer the winning trip for St Nicholas Abbey. He had the six-year-old son of Montjeu parked just off the flank of the front-running Shareta, while Gentildonna took up a forward tracking position on the outside.
St Nicholas Abbey took up the baton cornering for home, but Gentildonna was also traveling smoothly, and appeared on the verge of unwinding. But the Japanese Horse of the Year couldn't follow through on that initial impression, for St Nicholas Abbey found increasing momentum in the drive. He turned back the favorite, who had every opportunity, and pulled 2 1/4 lengths clear.
By blitzing about 1 1/2 grassy miles in 2:27.70, St Nicholas Abbey shattered the old Meydan mark of 2:29.01 established by Rewilding in the 2011 Sheema Classic. All three turf races on the World Cup card produced course records, with Shea Shea in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint and Sajjhaa in the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free preceding the Sheema.
Qatari shipper Very Nice Name rattled home from near the back of the pack to grab third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Gentildonna. Dunaden, last of 11 much of the way, was along for fourth. Next came Await the Dawn, Shareta, Royal Diamond, Girolamo, Sharestan, Prince Bishop and Trailblazer.
With this fifth career Group 1 tally to his credit, St Nicholas Abbey has now compiled a record of 20-8-2-7, and boasts $7,561,795 in earnings. He ranked as an unbeaten champion two-year-old in 2009, through victories in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy and Group 2 Beresford, but lost his perfect mark when sixth in the Group 1 Two Thousand Guineas at three.
Sidelined by injury for the remainder of his classic season, St Nicholas Abbey came back at four to take the Group 1 Coronation Cup, Group 3 Ormonde and the Breeders' Cup Turf. His only win of 2012 came in his successful title defense in the Coronation Cup, but he also placed in five top-level events -- the Sheema Classic, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (for the second straight year) and the Breeders' Cup Turf, where he was last seen checking in third at Santa Anita.
www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/news/article.cgi?id=35514&from=656
One year after coming up a neck short in the Group 1, $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic, St Nicholas Abbey got the job done in Saturday's renewal, overturning even-money favorite Gentildonna in course-record fashion.
Trained by Aidan O'Brien for Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the 3-1 second choice represented his connections' second triumph on the night, with stablemate Lines of Battle drawing first blood in the Group 2 U.A.E. Derby.
Young rider Joseph O'Brien couldn't make the weight aboard Lines of Battle, who was guided by Ryan Moore, but he did engineer the winning trip for St Nicholas Abbey. He had the six-year-old son of Montjeu parked just off the flank of the front-running Shareta, while Gentildonna took up a forward tracking position on the outside.
St Nicholas Abbey took up the baton cornering for home, but Gentildonna was also traveling smoothly, and appeared on the verge of unwinding. But the Japanese Horse of the Year couldn't follow through on that initial impression, for St Nicholas Abbey found increasing momentum in the drive. He turned back the favorite, who had every opportunity, and pulled 2 1/4 lengths clear.
By blitzing about 1 1/2 grassy miles in 2:27.70, St Nicholas Abbey shattered the old Meydan mark of 2:29.01 established by Rewilding in the 2011 Sheema Classic. All three turf races on the World Cup card produced course records, with Shea Shea in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint and Sajjhaa in the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free preceding the Sheema.
Qatari shipper Very Nice Name rattled home from near the back of the pack to grab third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Gentildonna. Dunaden, last of 11 much of the way, was along for fourth. Next came Await the Dawn, Shareta, Royal Diamond, Girolamo, Sharestan, Prince Bishop and Trailblazer.
With this fifth career Group 1 tally to his credit, St Nicholas Abbey has now compiled a record of 20-8-2-7, and boasts $7,561,795 in earnings. He ranked as an unbeaten champion two-year-old in 2009, through victories in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy and Group 2 Beresford, but lost his perfect mark when sixth in the Group 1 Two Thousand Guineas at three.
Sidelined by injury for the remainder of his classic season, St Nicholas Abbey came back at four to take the Group 1 Coronation Cup, Group 3 Ormonde and the Breeders' Cup Turf. His only win of 2012 came in his successful title defense in the Coronation Cup, but he also placed in five top-level events -- the Sheema Classic, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (for the second straight year) and the Breeders' Cup Turf, where he was last seen checking in third at Santa Anita.
www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/news/article.cgi?id=35514&from=656
