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DUBAI: Mendip Up For The Challenge

3 minute read

Mendip is likely to bid to give Godolphin an 11th success in Round 3 of the Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan on Super Saturday on March 10.

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained five-year-old recorded his fifth victory on the Tapeta at Meydan when staying on strongly to take the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 over a mile and a quarter on February 9.

The US$400,000 Round 3 of the Al Maktoum Challenge is a G1 contest for the first time this year.

Godolphin's has produced 10 previous winners of the 10-furlong contest - Cezanne (1994), Dover Straits (1995), Tamayaz (1996), Kammtarra (1997), Spindrift (1999), Dubai Millennium (2000), Street Cry (2002), Grandera (2003), Electrocutionist (2006) and Jalil (2008).

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor commented: “Mendip came back sound and healthy after his recent victory.

"He looks really well at the moment and we are looking at the third round of the Al Maktoum Challenge.

"If he runs well we will probably go for the Dubai World Cup on March 31.”

Meanwhile Godolphin have decided that Gamilati will skip the UAE Oaks at Meydan on Thursday and will be trained for a crack at the English or French 1000 Guineas.

An easy winner of the UAE Guineas at her last start, Mahmood Al Zarooni's filly is being kept to a mile for the time being.

"We did not want to stretch Gamilati beyond a mile at this stage of her career, which is why she is not in the UAE Oaks," said Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford.

"We will wait until we get back to Europe before running her again and look at the English 1000 Guineas and the French equivalent.

"Where she runs will all depend on the going - she won't want soft ground."

Gamilati ran four times as a juvenile, her best performance coming in the G2 Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket.


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