“THE winner must be a very good horse to have beaten the track record,” the previous record holder Shea Shea’s jockey Christophe Soumillon commented after Amber Sky had beaten them into third in the Gr1 Al Quoz Sprint over 1000m at Meydan on Dubai World Cup night.

While things didn’t bounce Shea Shea’s way on the night, the winner’s jockey Joao Moreiro confirmed, “Amber Sky is a very special horse. When I asked him to kick, he just gave me another gear and kept going to the line. Near the line, there were a few horses attacking me but he was just too good for them.”

Amber Sky (8) maintained relentless pace and Shea Shea blue, yellow silks, partly obscured), just couldn’t get to him.
(Andrew Watkins).

Shea Shea, considered Mike de Kock’s best chance of winning a race on World Cup night and the favourite for the Al Quoz, lost ground at the start. He was last and soon way out of his ground as Amber City blitzed to the front. And when Soumillon sent his mount in pursuit about 300m out, he had to switch in several horses to get a clear run.

Shea Shea closed strongly but it was too late and Amber City kept rolling to ward off Artoug by a neck in 56.21 sec with Shea Shea a head further back.

Soumillon said: “Shea Shea jumped slow from the gate this time. The pace was very strong and I could get no other position than last. By the time I got him running, the winner had gone.

Mike said: “That’s racing. When Christophe blinked they were just too far back.”