'We'll work back from Ascot' - Master Of The Seas lands Zabeel Mile after layoff

Friday: Meydan

The Charlie Appleby and William Buick partnership has been a major force in the Group 2 Zabeel Mile in recent years and the pair teamed up for their fifth victory in the race with Master Of The Seas.

The runner-up in the 2,000 Guineas in 2021 had not been seen since winning the Group 3 Earl of Sefton last spring but made a flawless comeback, sitting just behind the pace before being angled out and extending clear in the straight.

He had to fend off the late challenge of the David O'Meara-trained Shelir, who was denied a clear run when making headway, but Master Of The Seas had too much and held on by half a length.

"We're very pleased. The team has done a great job in getting him back. He had a setback after Newmarket and there's been a lot of patience and time to get him back to where he is now," Appleby said, speaking to Racing TV.

"The race couldn't have gone any better for him, the pace was there and William got a nice box seat. It would've been nice if the pace had held up for a bit longer because the one thing this horse does is travel. He put the race to bed and he's entitled to come on for the run.

"He's got a huge engine in there. He does challenge himself sometimes but if everything goes right he's a good horse."

Before suffering a setback in April, Appleby had hoped to take Master Of The Seas to the Queen Anne to tackle Baaeed and the champion trainer is looking to work back from Royal Ascot with the five-year-old.

"Hopefully he comes out of this and we can get a nice clean run with him through to Super Saturday for the Jebel Hatta, and all being well, he'll head on to the Dubai Turf," Appleby said.

"He's not the most robust horse, he's had a bit of a stop-start career, but given a good clear run Ascot would definitely be something that we would work back from."

Masterful Mickael

Salem bin Ghadayer believes Mimi Kakushi is the best filly he has ever trained after she landed the UAE 1,000 Guineas.

Mickael Barzalona positioned the filly in behind the leader before pushing on with two furlongs to run and pulling effortlessly clear of her five rivals.

Bin Ghadayer said: "Mimi Kakushi is the best filly I've ever trained. I thought that from the first second she arrived at the stable. I'm so glad that she could win the 1,000 Guineas.

"Four weeks will be more than enough for her to go to the Oaks. She'll have enough time to rest and she'll just need one breeze before she's 100 per cent fit."

That was a second victory on the card for Barzalona, who rode the rail aboard Rawy in the 6f handicap before getting the better of Colour Up after a sustained battle in the straight.

Results, replays and analysis

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