GODOLPHIN NETS 6TH CAPE VERDI WITH DUBAI BEACH

Suroor’s grey mare overcomes hype around Quid Pro Quo, who is still gallant in defeat

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The Saeed bin Suroor-trained Dubai Beach (Kieren Shoemark) finding that extra dash to come out tops in a thrilling three-cornered fight with runner-up Quid Pro Quo (Adrie de Vries, green and red) and stablemate Dubai Treasure (Ray Dawson) in the Group 2 Cape Verdi (1,600m) at Meydan on Jan 16. The Group 2 Balanchine Stakes (1,800m) on Feb 20 is Dubai Beach's next target. PHOTO: DUBAI RACING CLUB

A popular winner emerged in the 850,000-dirham (S$298,000) Group 2 Cape Verdi at Meydan when Dubai Beach gave veteran Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor his sixth win in the 1,600m fillies and mares’ contest.

Much of the attention had been on dual South African Group 1 winner Quid Pro Quo, who ran a superb race on local debut for Dutch jockey Adrie de Vries, lunging late between Dubai Treasure (Ray Dawson) and Dubai Beach (Kieran Shoemark, $15) and failing to catch the latter by a neck.

“She made a little hard work of it, but she’s clearly improving and this fillies’ division is there for the taking,” said Shoemark.

On the Blue Point grey mare’s chances in the Group 2 Balanchine Stakes (1,800m) on Feb 20, he said: “She'll stay 1,800m as she hit the line strongly today, so she should have no trouble seeing it out.”

Quid Pro Quo’s Marseille-based trainer Jerome Reynier was philosophical in defeat.

“Adrie was very happy with the filly. She fought hard to the post and he thought he was going to win, but unfortunately we got beaten very narrowly,” said the Frenchman.

The main supporting race, the Cocoa Beach Stakes (1,600m), put Labwah ($31) firmly on the Classic trail — but only just.