Godolphin’s Australia import Long John has the distance

Charlie Appleby said Long John will be able to thrive over the 1,900 metres of the UAE Derby after the Australian import’s impressive success in the UAE 2,000 Guineas over 300 metres shorter this past week.

Long John crushed fellow Godolphin runner Emirates Flyer by over four lengths, a margin third only to 2007 winner Asiatic Boy, who won by four and a half lengths, and Desert Party, who won by almost five lengths in 2009, in the history of the classic.

Asiatic Boy went on to augment his win on World Cup night and Long John looks set to feature next on the most valuable card in world racing, on March 29.

Long John failed to stay 2,000m when finishing ninth in the Cox Plate, Australia’s all-age handicap, in October.

Peter Snowden, Darley Australia’s trainer, suggested after the race that Long John did not stay, but did not rule out that he might develop the ability to last home.

Long John is a giant of a horse by Street Cry, Godolphin's 2002 Dubai World Cup winner, and combined with the easy nature of Meydan Racecourse, he hopes his charge can become the first winner of the Derby trained at Marmoom Stables.

Saeed bin Suroor has trained all seven of Godolphin’s Derby winners since the race was first run in 2000.

“I think Long John will get 2,000m,” Appleby said. “His sire’s progeny seem to like 2,000m and he seems to have taken the race very well.

“He travelled very well during the race and it did not look like he was stopping.

“The pace in races in Dubai is steady and Meydan is an easy track.

“We could put him into the Al Bastikya, but I think it is more likely that he goes straight to the UAE Derby.

“He has proved himself, so why get another run into him?”

Last season, Mental became a rare UAE winner for horses imported from Darley Australia, but later struggled in the Dubai Golden Shaheen due to a wind problem.

Long John was not the only Australian import to run well last week.

Bello was fourth and Bin Suroor’s Complicate was third in the Al Shindagha Sprint, and it seems the Godolphin production line from down under is finally firing.

“It’s not necessarily a learning curve, but they have often come off a longish season in Australia,” Appleby said. “They take a bit of time to adapt. We were patient with Mental and it paid off, but he then had a problem. Both Bello and Long John are looking a lot better than when they arrived.”

Appleby’s Certify will face just five rivals in the Group 2 Balanchine at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday after Tuesday’s declarations.

Certify will face L’Armour De Ma Vie, who chased home the Godolphin filly in the Cape Verdi, and Flotilla, still the highest-rated filly in the US$200,000 (Dh734,420) contest after her limp display three weeks ago behind her two rivals.

Pearl Of Africa, who was third, plus English challengers Moment In Time and Banoffee, complete the field.

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