Dubai Race Night » King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes

Rewilding breaks down in King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes; Dettori walks off

PatCummings — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 15:54:16 +0000

2011 Dubai Sheema Classic winner Rewilding, owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Godolphin, broke down in the stretch of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Ascot on Saturday afternoon. Beginning to mount a rally, Rewilding traveled just outside St. Nicholas Abbey out the back of the field and sent shockwaves through the crowd when the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) winner went down around the two-furlong pole. Frankie Dettori, briefly down on the yielding ground, walked to an ambulance soon after the race. Godolphin confirmed, via Twitter, that Rewilding was humanely euthanized following the incident. Below, watch Rewilding take the 2011 Dubai Sheema Classic in stylish fashion over Redwood.

Nathaniel won the race for Lady Rothschild over Workforce, who bore out badly in the final 300 metres, leading some to speculate he may have also suffered an injury in the race. St. Nicholas Abbey was third while pacesetting Debussy faded out.

Rewilding provides Godolphin threat in King George

PatCummings — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:08:16 +0000

A late July slugfest is set for Saturday at Ascot in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) as Arc champion Workforce is set to meet Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) and Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) victor Rewilding, joined by Ballydoyle favourite St. Nicholas Abbey. Jockey Frankie Dettori terms Rewilding as “courageous.” The Independent has more.

De Kock gets Irish Derby winner, Investec Derby fifth

PatCummings — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:04:40 +0000

Reports emerged today that private purchases away from the Ballydoyle contingent trained by Aidan O’Brien will yield some new horses in Mike De Kock’s Newmarket yard, with a strong chance of seeing these two colts in Dubai next year. The horses in question: Frozen Fire and Golden Sword.

Frozen Fire landed the 2008 Irish Derby (G1) and has been winless in four starts since, which included a listless seventh behind Conduit in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Ascot. Golden Sword has been a bit more promising with recency, winning the Chester Vase (G3) before running an incredibly game fifth in the Investec Derby (G1) at Epsom, beaten just two lengths by Sea The Stars, the early favorite for the Breeders’ Cup race of his choice. In the Derby, Golden Sword set the pace for the majority of the race and yielded in the final furlong to several stablemates while racing at a juicy 25-1.

Click HERE for more on the recent De Kock acquirees.

Kirklees successful in comeback run at Sandown

PatCummings — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:17:15 +0000

Sent postward at odds just greater than 2-1, Godolphin’s Kirklees was victorious in his first start following a four race winter campaign in Dubai which included a handicap win on the sixth night of the Dubai International Racing Carnival and a placing in the Al Rashidiya (G3) behind Silver Mist.

Friday’s start in Sandown’s Helical Bar Gala Stakes (Listed) was the first in 97 days for the Saeed bin Suroor trainee, emerging from a listless tenth in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) behind Eastern Anthem. Kirklees handily defeated stable companion Covert Ambition who was second while Carnival winner Halicarnassus was a well-beaten fifth. A son of Jade Robbery, Kirklees hold an entry in the prestigious Betfair King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Ascot on July 25.