Life Of Dreams’ victory in Highclere the highlight as Maktoum family wins five races The yellow colors of Sheikh Mohammed’s brother, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, were carried to victory by Razeyna in the Coln Valley Stud Maiden Fillies Stakes Day two of the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Weekend at Newbury Racecourse saw more success for Maktoum family, as Godolphin continued to hoard the prizes on the eight-race card. Sunday’s highlight was the emphatic victory of Godolphin’s home-bred three-year-old filly Life Of Dreams in the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Maiden Fillies Stakes, a victory which promoted the daughter of Dubawi toward the head of the leading fancies for the Epsom Oaks. Alex Merriam, representing Godolphin’s trainer Charlie Appleby, said Life Of Dreams had been given time to develop and had done what it was hoped she would — make a winning debut to continue Godolphin’s astonishing success rate. In the previous race, the yellow colors of Sheikh Mohammed’s brother, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, were carried to victory by Razeyna in the seven-furlong Coln Valley Stud Maiden Fillies Stakes. She too was a debutante for trainer William Haggas, whose wife Maureen, daughter of the legendary Lester Piggott, did the honors saddling the winner and then collecting the prize. The 10-furlong $21,000 Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup EBF Conditions Stakes attracted a small but select field of three-year-olds for which Godolphin provided first and second favorites — both sons of Godolphin stallion Dubawi. Walk Of Stars, home-bred and the mount of James Doyle, wore the white cap of Godolphin’s second colors. William Buick was aboard the $2.7 million purchase Hafit. Both colts are still in the Derby and there may be a rematch in York’s Derby Trial, the Dante Stakes, Merriam said. There was only a neck between them here with Walk Of Stars maintaining a narrow, hard-won lead throughout the final furlong. After a succession of short-priced winners, the seventh race, the $33,000 Dubai Duty Free Handicap over the minimum five furlongs, produced the shock of the meeting. At nine, the oldest of the seven runners Blue De Vega got up in the final strides to head another outsider, Mountain Peak. The concluding race of the meeting, the seven-furlong $26,000 Dubai Duty Free Full of Surprises Handicap for three-year-olds, did not live up to its name. Early favorite was Godolphin’s Private Signal but strong late support came for Whoputfiftyinyou trained by Clive Cox. Cox’s Mine’s A Double had been a let down in the previous race, losing his unbeaten record. Whoputfiftyinyou retained his unbeaten status cutting down Private Signal. With five winners over the two days, Appleby’s record at the opening meeting of the Berkshire course’s Flat season was nothing short of astonishing. Dubai Duty Free’s Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Colm McLoughlin — who together with Salah Tahlak, executive vice president for corporate services, and Sinead El Sibai, senior vice president of marketing, hosted a lunch in the Royal Box — said: “It has been a great pleasure to return to Newbury and welcome our guests to another hugely successful edition of the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Weekend. “We extend our thanks to Newbury’s CEO, Julian Thick, and his team for delivering an outstanding event, and to the owners and trainers who continue to support this important trials meeting. We look forward to following their progress as the Flat season unfolds.”
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