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Today's Racing :

Soumillon’s simply the best

MIKE de Kock believes Christophe Soumillon is perhaps the best jockey in the world and with his ride on Imbongi in last Friday night’s Zabeel Mile (Group 2) at Meydan in Dubai the Belgian-born rider showed why he is held in such high esteem. There are jockeys who will watch the replay and reckon they could probably have done the same and that ride this is nothing to rave about, but one wonders. In races like these, champion jockeys are separated from good jockeys. Imbongi was held up for a run and racing in the back half of the field. The pace was on and he had several lengths to find turning for home.
Through the bend, and into the home run, Soumillon improved his position to within striking distance, but there was a wall of horses ahead of him. For a moment one got the clear impression that Soumillion was scanning the entire wall for an opening and weighing up his options but, with 250m to run, time was running out. But great jockeyship is something often decided by the ability to make split second decisions. With half a gap opening on the rail, Soumillon switched Imbongi aggressively to his inside and got his mount to change gears and go through fearlessly. As luck would have it Soumillon was on a horse whose name means “Warrior” and the Summerhill-bred trusted his pilot, put his head down and raced confidently through. Soumillon, low down, gathering reins to keep Imbongi straight and driving forward, kept his ride going to win by a quarter length from Kalahari Gold and Summit Surge, with Hunting Tower staying on well for fifth. “What a game run this was,” said De Kock. “If he comes through the race well we’ll consider the Godolphin Mile or the Dubai Duty Free on World Cup night.”
De Kock said after Super Thursday that both Mr Brock and Lizard’s Desire would have “fair chances” of getting into the world richest race, the $US10 million Dubai World Cup on Saturday, 27 March.
Mr Brock (3rd) and Lizard’s Desire (5th) finished within a length of surprise winner Red Desire and last year’s Cup runner-up Gloria De Campeao in Round 3 of the Al Maktoum Challenge over 2 000m at Meydan.
“Lizard’s Desire couldn’t find a way through in the straight. Christophe Soumillon said he could have won the race. Mr Brock gave his best, he was game as ever,” said De Kock.
Golden Sword was only nabbed late in the Dubai City Of Gold over 2 485m and De Kock was delighted, saying: “We expected a big run and he delivered. He’s a horse I feel can make a bold bid in the Sheema Classic on World Cup night.”
De Kock’s three-year-old stars Musir and Raihana are likely to bump heads in the Group 2 $2 million UAE Derby over 1 800m on Dubai World Cup night.
Raihana, who won the UAE Oaks in decisive fashion, is considered good enough to take on the males including her UAE Guineas-winning stablemate Musir in a race De Kock has already won four times with Victory Moon (2003), Lundy’s Liability (2004), Asiatic Boy (2007) and Honour Devil (2008). The only other trainer to get his name on the UAE Derby Honour Roll is Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor (6 wins since 2000). Meanwhile, jockey Richard Hills, the first-call rider for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum, captured the inaugural Meydan Masters jockey challenge last Friday whilst Godolphin signed off in style at the Dubai Carnival with another hat-trick of wins at Meydan. Meydan officials also announced last Friday that international recording superstars Elton John and Carlos Santana will play a concert at Meydan immediately following the $10-million Dubai World Cup on Saturday, March 27. The race is scheduled for 10.45pm local time with the concert beginning afterward. - Racingweb

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