Last year's champion juvenile Pinatubo has a chance to quickly redeem his reputation in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday.
Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby's Shamardal colt carried all before him in a perfect two-year-old season, which culminated with a hard-fought win in the Dewhurst but was highlighted by a nine-length romp in the National Stakes at the Curragh.
He had earlier won at Royal Ascot in the Chesham Stakes, the third of six wins last season, but he could then finish only third on his reappearance in the 2000 Guineas.
Aidan O'Brien's Wichita was second to Kameko at Newmarket and faces Pinatubo again on Saturday – while John Gosden steps Palace Pier sharply up in grade, having won a handicap impressively at Newcastle two weeks ago.
Appleby expects Pinatubo to improve on his Guineas performance. He said: "I'm really pleased with him. [Jockey] William [Buick] sat on him on Wednesday, and he had a nice breeze.
"You can definitely see this horse has sharpened up for his run in the Guineas.
"As much as I'm not going to get away from the fact I was delighted with the way we were going into the Guineas, he is a horse, as we saw last year, that progressed race on race – and I feel that race has definitely brought him forward.
"There is a drying forecast, but we have had the rain – although that doesn't bother me, because he has won on soft ground – and even when he won the National Stakes it was on the slow side of good. The conditions don't worry me.
"Obviously, we have got to re-oppose the horse that was second in the Guineas [Wichita], but you also have Threat and Positive of Clive Cox's who they think a bit of. So it is a good race, but I couldn't be any happier with our fellow.
"It was mixture of emotions after the Guineas. It was disappointing that he got beat and had his unbeaten record tarnished there, but the positive side of it was that I was actually more relieved halfway through the race that the horse was up there travelling away looking like he was going to run a race.
"To be brutally honest, though, I knew going into the Guineas that he looked well and his fitness was there and mentally he was where he was as a two-year-old, but the worry was 'had he trained on?'.
"I felt that was the biggest box ticked on the day – that he has proven that he has trained on. It is all systems go to Saturday now, and I'm looking forward to it."
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (Turf) 1,400m. Winner: Al Ajeeb W’Rsan, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Jaci Wickham (trainer).
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,400m racing. Winner: Mujeeb, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 90,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Onward, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown Prep Rated Conditions (PA) Dh 125,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle.
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (T) 1,600m. Winner: AF Arrab, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 90,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Irish Freedom, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
