Bur Dubai - 2500m BM78 - 1st
What a way to cap off his first Australian preparation! Bur Dubai stamped himself as a serious stayer with a dominant win in his first staying test on Australian soil. A metro winner in just his third start, he now sets his sights on an exciting spring preparation, potentially with a Cups campaign on the cards.
- The testing Moonee Valley surface proved too much for most, but Bur Dubai thrived. When Beau Mertens asked for an effort at the 600m, he responded in style—storming home and leaving his rivals in the dust. He clocked the fastest closing sectionals from the 1400m down to the 600m, with a late speed of 58.54km/h, showcasing his raw stamina and devastating finishing burst.
- The race, run 16.74 lengths slower than standard time, became a tactical sit-and-sprint from the 600m. Bur Dubai held off the well-fancied Steel Run, who flashed an explosive turn of foot at Flemington just three weeks ago, but couldn’t match Bur Dubai’s late surge.
After three eye-catching runs, he now earns a well-deserved spell in the paddock. In six weeks, he’ll return to work, refreshed and ready to launch his Spring Assault!
Sneaky Sunrise - Group 3 Alexandra Stakes - 6th
- Saturday wasn’t the day for Sneaky Sunrise to claim her much-deserved black-type victory. Simply put, nothing went her way, and her run can only be described as luckless.
- The shifty track, downgraded to a Soft 6 following her race, made it difficult for her to find her rhythm. She struggled to travel on the surface, a challenge echoed throughout the day, as seen in the Group 1 William Reid and several other races where a strong leader and rail bias played a major role. Horses up front and hugging the rail had a clear advantage, making it tough for backmarkers to make up ground.
- This bias was on full display in Sneaky’s race, with eventual winner and two placegetters: Cilacap, Too Darn Lizzie, and Phenom all traveling on the fence before being the first three to straighten for home. Despite the odds stacked against her, Sneaky fought bravely, finishing a valiant 6th – a result that could have been much worse given how the race unfolded.
- Now, she resets for the Bendigo Guineas on April 12, where she’ll get another shot at securing that elusive black-type win. Here’s hoping the racing gods are on her side this time!
