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The Dubai Golden Shaheen (Group 1) - 2004

America’s first win of the evening came from John Sadler’s Our New Recruit in the US$ 2,000,000 Dubai Golden Shaheen (Gr. 1) over 1,200 metres. Breeder’s Cup S winner Cajun Beat was favourite at 13-8 to land another Group 1 victory but Jerry Nailey’s mount could not find that extra kick in the final stages and finished fourth. Alke, the second favourite at 9-2 came second behind the 20-1 Our New Recruit ridden by Alex Solis. Akle looked a winner at one point but failed to keep up the pressure. Conroy took third place under the saddle of Gary Stevens. Sadler observed after the race, “You feel relieved, you hope to run well and if you don’t its tough. He travels superbly. He needed time to build up, he’s a very powerful horse and was unlucky in his last two starts.” Jockey Alex Solis commented, “Down the straight Alke and Cajun Beat were very close but my horse felt really strong and I felt good about it.” Velazquez, rider of Akle, thought the winner was “just a little better than mine.” The five-year old, Our New Recruit, looks set to compete in the Breeder’s Cup. Conroy finished third with jockey Stevens commenting, “He wasted energy at the start and I wouldn’t be sure he wouldn’t have got there if he had thrown a tantrum.”

(Yahia Nazroo)