Benbatl proves mettle to clinch Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2

Godolphin’s Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Benbatl, with Christopher Soumillon astride, notched up an easy two-length win in the $450,000 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 race at Meydan on Thursday. The win on dirt over 1900m, came in an official time of 1:56.80, with Military Law, led by Antonio Fresu in the saddle, finishing second, and jockey Mickael Barzalona leading Gronkowski coming in third.

In the day’s second major outing, the $250,000 UAE 2000 Guineas (Group 3) race run over 1600m, it was jockey William Buick who led the Doug O’Neill-trained Fore Left to an impressive 1 and 3/4 length win for owners Reddam Racing.

Winning jockey in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 race, Soumillon, said about his steed after the win: “He was the best horse in the field by far. For sure, it was the first time on the dirt, but when the horses are really good, they can handle both surfaces. He has good gate speed, which is important for dirt racing.”

Soumillon added: “He was cruising the whole way. I was worried on the back straight, because he didn’t change legs properly—I had to force him twice to stay on his right leg. On the last turn, he stayed on his right leg for 200m, so I was little disappointed. Finally, he changed and when I came into the straight, I could feel straight away that he was able to run away and he did quite impressively.”

Benbatl’s trainer Suroor said: “It’s good to see him really travel well and win that easily. To see the jockey, who rode Thunder Snow to win the last two Dubai World Cups, ride him with confidence and in the last three furlongs he’s still on the bridle shows his class. We have always known he’s a special horse on the turf, but Sheikh Mohammed wanted to run him on the dirt to see how he would run and it was a good decision from the boss.

“Sometimes you just have to give the horses a chance (on the dirt). Some can handle both surfaces. He handled it well and Christophe kept him handy in the race, which was the plan for him. He won it well, thank God. It was a good decision.”

Fresu, who led Military Law in second place, said: “I ride this horse almost every day and I am pretty sure this is a good horse. Since he has come to Mussabeh Al Mheiri’s stables, he has been doing so well and with every gallop he is improving day by day. He is really nice on the dirt. He proved himself in The Entisar Stakes, when he won the Listed race in December. Today he came back after a little break of two months. Nineteen hundred metres is a bit short, as he would prefer ten furlongs. We will see next time.”

Meanwhile, Fore Left’s win in the UAE 2000 Guineas (Group 3) came in an official time of 1:38.43 as against the track record set by Muntazah of 1:34.99 in 2019.

Buick, the winning jockey, said: “Doug O’Neill and his team were very confident that this horse had more speed than any other horse in this race, which he showed, but of course, I had to work hard and it took me a long time to eventually get across. He set good fractions, got a little bit of a breather on the turn and then kicked again. He’s just a very game, honest horse who stuck on very well. He’s got a lot of speed and stayed the mile.

“I guess they’ll be pointing him to the (1900m $2.5 million) UAE Derby (G2) now, which is another furlong and a half, so we’ll see about that. It was a huge performance from the horse to get where he did, from where he did and in the manner he did. He got there within himself and put himself in a position after three furlongs to control the race, but it took a good horse to do it and that’s what he is,” Buick added,.

O’Neill Fore Left’s trainer, added: “That was so cool. I was absolutely going nuts and I’m so happy for Mr. Reddam and for my whole team. I am so proud to be part of a great team with Leandro (Mora, assistant) and Tony Romero and the entire team there and back home in California.”