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Dubai World Cup 2022: Stay Foolish completes exciting Arabian Gulf double

After winning at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia the Japanese galloper land Dubai Gold Cup

By Leslie Wilson Jr

Published: Sat 26 Mar 2022, 6:57 PM

Royal Ascot beckons for Japanese-trained Stay Foolish after he completed a big-race Arabian Gulf double when landing a thrilling renewal of the G3 3,200 metre Dubai Gold Cup — the longest race at the 26th Dubai World Cup meeting.

The winner of the Longines Red Sea Cup at Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), in February, the seven-year-old son of Stay Gold is enjoying a new lease of life at the very top of the racing hierarchy.

Unlike in Riyadh where he dominated proceedings from the front of the field, Stay Foolish was delivered late by French ace jockey Christophe Lemaire to Godolphin’s highly regarded Mandobo by half a length.

Antonio Fresu has enjoyed a stellar season in the UAE and the Italian rode a blinder aboard the locally trained Al Madhar to finish third.

Lemaire said: “He didn’t jump out as fast as he did in Saudi Arabia, but he travelled well. I was not worried about finding a gap in the straight because the horse in front of me was travelling well.”

He added, “When I saw Manobo come alongside me powerfully, I thought the potatoes were done. Stay Foolish doesn’t have a big turn of foot but when the Godolphin horse struggled close to the finish my horse got a lot of confidence and moved forward again.”

Manobo was the one to beat and he also had a two-kilogram advantage.

Reflecting on his four wins at the Saudi Cup, Lemaire said: “Every race is important. What you achieved in the past is not important anymore, you must look forward to the owners, the trainers.

“So, from now I’m focused on the next race. But of course, winning in Dubai is quite special.”

The Japanese trainer Yahagi said: “After the KSA he enjoyed the atmosphere in Dubai, he was excellent, very comfortable here. He loves Dubai, I think.

“I did not give any orders to the jockey. Christophe knows what to do. I am not sure what we will do with him next.”

On Stay Foolish's future, Yahagi said, “We will go back to Japan, but my dream would be to go to Royal Ascot for the Gold Cup, but I would need to speak with the owner first.”

After a strong pace, it looked as though the Charlie Appleby-trained Manobo would seal a second victory in the race for his trainer when hitting the front at the two-furlong marker but Stay Foolish continued to rally for Lemaire and finished strongest for a very well-deserved victory.

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Jockey Saffie Osborne’s Alignak, who finished fourth, said, “I got the worst trip possible. They went so slow. From stall two I just kept getting locked up. He's run seriously well to finish where he has and if they'd gone any sort of gallop, I think it would have been closer."

Passion And Glory and Volcanic Sky, who led for most of the trip finished fifth and sixth, respectively, for Godolphin handler Saeed bin Suroor.

Louis Steward was full of praise for Volcanic Sky." He ran a lovely race. He had a lovely, soft lead around there and no one really hassled him. He picked up good in the straight, just lacked a bit of class at the end," he said.


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