Explosive performance puts Man Of Promise in pole position for Al Quoz Sprint

Man Of Promise laid down a serious marker for the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night with an explosive four-and-three-quarter-length defeat of Prix de l'Abbaye winner A Case Of You in the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint.

Trainer Charlie Appleby might have expected British Champions Sprint scorer Creative Force to be his number one in the Al Quoz but it has to be doubtful if any turf sprinter in the world will be able to live with a repeat performance from Man Of Promise in three weeks' time.

"Beforehand we always felt we were dealing with a slightly fragile horse in his mind and his body, whereas now he's the full package and showed that this evening," Appleby said.

"On what we see at home it didn't really surprise me to be brutally honest. He's a horse who had threatened to be a top sprinter and it's just a matter of keeping the lid on."

Group 1-winner Creative Force will fly in from Newmarket this week to prepare for the Al Quoz and Appleby added: "If this horse can turn up in the same condition with two runs under his belt, Creative Force will have to bring his A-game."

'Massive' win for Burrows

It might be a bit premature to call Meydan his lucky track but Owen Burrows was rightly delighted to strike with his first runner at the course as stable star Hukum set up a tilt at the Sheema Classic with victory in the Group 2 Dubai City Of Gold.

Burrows has long believed Meydan, with its sweeping bends and long home straight, would be the perfect fit for Hukum and, despite being drawn widest of all in stall 14, the Shadwell-owned five-year-old found top gear in the straight to get the better of Without A Fight in a decent scrap.

Hukum edges out Without A Fight in the Dubai City of GoldCredit: Edward Whitaker

"He had to make his move a little bit earlier than ideal but he picked up well and I'm very pleased," said Burrows. "He's got three weeks now to enjoy this warmth and I'm sure he will come on plenty."

Having trained in a private role for Hukum's late owner Hamdan Al Maktoum since 2016, the Lambourn trainer has opened his doors to other owners this season, but the man who put Burrows on the training map was very much at the front of his thoughts.

"It's a massive win," said the trainer. "Without Sheikh Hamdan I wouldn't be stood here training. For his trust and faith in me, I will be forever in his debt. To set me up with this opportunity is massive and many thanks to his family for sticking by me with the yard and everything."

A good night for the Shadwell team got even better when Alfareeq caused a 14-1 upset to land the Group 1 Emirates-backed Jebel Hatta.

Storm brewing

Saeed bin Suroor was not ruling out an audacious switch to dirt on Dubai World Cup night for Storm Damage, who landed the first running of the 7f Ras Al Khor under Frankie Dettori.

Suroor views the four-year-old as a potential Royal Ascot contender but will consider the Godolphin Mile on dirt at the end of the month before he travels back to Newmarket.

The biggest cheer of the night was saved for locally trained Hypothetical, who will bid to improve on his fourth-place finish in last year's Dubai World Cup after landing the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge for trainer Salem bin Ghadayer and rider Mickael Barzalona.

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