 |
 |
|
|
|
racing news |
Star Filly Blue Bunting Getting Set for Dubai
11/01/12
Last season’s outstanding British-trained middle-distance three-year-old filly Blue Bunting looks set to take her chance at the Dubai Carnival meeting in March after her trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni confirmed the triple Group 1 winner is an intended runner in the Dubai Sheema Classic on World Cup night, writes Elliot Slater.
 |
The Godolphin-owned filly proved herself time and again last season to be a high-class performer, beginning with a stunning finishing flourish to snatch the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in the shadow of the post, coming with a tremendous late burst under the stand rails under Frankie Dettori to beat Aidan O’Brien’s Together by three-quarters-of-a-length. That triumph came as a massive bonus to connections who had always regarded the daughter of Dynaformer as a middle-distance performer in the making. Those who have placed an online horse racing bet will be keeping an eye on her.
Stepped up to a mile-and-a-half for the Investec Oaks at Epsom in June, Blue Bunting was sent off 9/4 favourite but met trouble in running and in the end could only finish fourth to surprise winner Dancing Rain. There were no hard luck stories though at the Curragh six weeks later when Dettori produced his mount with a perfectly timed run to cut down Banimipire in the last stride to record a short-head success in the Darley Irish Oaks.
Taking on older horses for the first time in the Yorkshire Oaks at York in August, Blue Bunting was no less impressive in accounting for Henry Cecil’s Vita Nova by three-quarters-of-a-length, but a combination of a series of hard races and most likely failing to stay the extended trip saw her finish only sixth behind Masked Marvel on her final outing of the term in the St Leger at Doncaster in September.
Reported to be wintering well, Blue Bunting is expected to run at Meydan on March 10 in the ‘Super Saturday’ fixture before targeting the Dubai Sheema Classic on World Cup night, March 31.
