Godolphin’s Measured Time can enter the history books as the first horse to win the Group 2 Al Rashidiya for a second successive time at the Dubai Carnival’s Festive Friday at Meydan.
The Charlie Appleby-trained Frankel colt was an impressive winner of the 1,900-metre prize 12 months ago and the connections are hoping the four-year-old can replicate that run following a campaign in the USA.
Measured Time followed up his win in Al Rashidiya with success in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta, before finishing fourth in the Group 1 Dubai Turf on the Dubai World Cup night.
He then added his first US success, beating stablemate Nations Pride in the Group 1 Manhattan at Saratoga before placing second to Far Bridge in the Sword Dancer Stakes, again at Saratoga, in August.
“Measured Time didn’t quite see out the mile and a half in the Sword Dancer,” Appleby told Godolphin's official site.
“He has enjoyed a nice break, and we have been pleased with his preparation. He has obviously shown a very good level of form over this course and distance, and we hope he can finish off the year on a high as we look at a similar winter programme to last season."
Passion And Glory in the Listed Entisar, Royal Power and Flying Honours in the Dubai Racing Club Classic handicap rated 85-105, and Native Approach in the Listed Business Bay Challenge are Appleby’s other runners.
Godolphin’s Emirati trainer Saeed bin Suroor saddles Movie Maker and Ghaly also in the Business Bay Challenge to complete Godolphin’s campaign on the night.
Festive Friday consists of six pattern prizes in the nine-race card that also includes the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 for the Purebred Arabians.
The official feature, however, is the Dh1 million Group 2 Al Maktoum Mile, which is an early pointer towards the Dubai World Cup and Godolphin Mile.
The six-runner field includes the Dubai World Cup-winning trainer Bhupat Seemar’s exciting new recruit Artorius.
The five-year-old son of the 2017 Dubai World Cup winner Arrogate has won three times from 11 starts when trained by Chad Brown back in the US.
He then moved to the Zabeel Stables in Dubai and will be in action for the first time in more than five months.
“Artorius won the Curlin Stakes in America, but hasn’t been here that long, so we’re still finding out about him,” Seemar said of the Juddmonte Farms-owned runner.
