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Friday evening’s sixth meeting of the 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival was officially highlighted by the 1000m turf Group 2 Blue Point Sprint, won in style by Godolphin’s Lazuli, confidently ridden by William Buick for Charlie Appleby.
The race was being contested for the first time carrying the name of Godolphin's crack sprinter who won the equivalent race, the Meydan Sprint, in 2019, for the same trio of connections.
Settled in midfield, the homebred 5yo gelding eased into contention shortly after halfway before hitting the front entering the final 300m and the race was, basically, over as a contest.
Runner-up behind another stablemate, Man Of Promise , in the 1200m Listed Dubai Sprint on his seasonal return three weeks ago, Appleby's speedster was registering a sixth career success and his biggest victory to date having previously won twice in Group Three company in the UK.
Buick said: "He has a Group Two on his CV now and this 1000m is his optimum although he has won over 1200m. He is a bigger horse this year and looks like a proper sprinter now.
"He was entitled to win that as he was the best horse in the race and he proved that. I am not sure what the plan is, we could go back to 1200m but will sit down and talk about it."
The Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy, over 2810m on turf, was turned into a procession by Manobo , completing doubles for Appleby and Buick, as well as a treble for Godolphin.
Having led for the first 200m, Buick was happy to let Taqareer take over at the head of affairs, Manobo leading the main pack behind that clear leader.
The homebred 4yo gelded son of Sea The Stars sauntered into contention entering the straight before Buick committed for home with about 550m remaining with the race won in a few strides as they galloped clear.
Now unbeaten after five starts, having only made his debut in the middle of May last year, Manobo is already a Group Two winner, over 3000m and looks an exciting stayer.
Appleby said: "We were very hopeful coming here tonight, especially receiving weight from most of his rivals and his class has shone through.
"He is a big horse and versatile because he has the speed for 2400m and the stamina for 3200m. We will probably aim at the Dubai Gold Cup but the Sheema Classic is another option so we will see how his preparation and our other big race contenders go between now and World Cup night."
The finale, a 1600m turf handicap attracted a capacity field of 16 but 15 may as well have stayed at home, Godolphin's Valiant Prince storming clear 400m out, Buick in the saddle for Appleby.
The second and final fillies' Classic of the campaign, the 1900m dirt Group 3 UAE Oaks, contested by seven 3yo fillies, went the same way as the first, the 1600m UAE 1000 Guineas, Shahama producing the goods for Fawzi Nass and KHK Racing, despite missing the break under the unflappable Adrie de Vries.
The Dutchman was happy to race in last in the early stages before the daughter of Munning started to make ground on the far side of the track, edging closer before cruising into contention turning for home.
She hit the front about 350m out with the race soon in safekeeping and is now unbeaten after four starts having also won twice over 1400m as well as the two fillies' Classics.
De Vries said: "The big screen distracted her at the start and then she was not enjoying the kickback but she is a jockey's dream because she has so much class.
"Having jumped the kickback early on she was jumping shadows once in front so you would hope there was more in the tank."
For 3yos on turf, a 1200m conditions stakes, the Al Wasl Stakes, was dominated by Godolphin who supplied the first three home, Pat Cosgrave producing Wild Place , losing her maiden tag at just the third attempt, to lead in the closing stages from Silent Speech for Saeed bin Suroor.
Silent Speech, representing Appleby and Buick, appeared the likely winner when cruising to the front entering the final 300m before Cosgrave threw down the decisive challenge over the final 150m.
The winner's stable companion, Home City was third to complete the Godolphin 1-2-3. The same trio had also filled the first three places in a similar contest a month ago, won by Silent Speech from Home City and Wild Place.
A daughter of Mehmas, Wild Place was also third on her debut, over 1200m on the Kempton all-weather at the beginning of June last year.
Cosgrave said: "She can be a bit tricky as she showed in the preliminaries and then she was a bit slowly away but she really travelled nicely and, if anything, I probably hit the front a bit too soon.
"She will stay further, definitely 1400m and maybe even 1600m in time."
The opening 1400m dirt handicap was won easily by Imperial Empire, always in the first two under Tadhg O'Shea, sporting the silks of Al Rashid Stables, for Bhupat Seemar. The pair were in front by halfway and clear early in the straight after which they were never in danger of being caught, chased home at a respectable distance by stable companion Behavioral Bias to give Seemar the 1-2.
A 5yo Dubawi gelding, he has now won five times, thrice over this 1400m course and distance, all this season and his three most recent victories.
O'Shea said: "He was a bit slowly away last time but he was back on his game tonight and we had the ideal draw in one so I was always wanting to be positive from that stall.
"That was his sixth run this season and we will have to see what the handicapper does. Ideally I would like to go straight to the Godolphin Mile but we might have to run Super Saturday."