DUBAI: Sifting through the debris of the four dirt races at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on Super Saturday, whichever way you look at it Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has a fair chance of lifting the Dubai World Cup on March 31 with North America.
The hulking son of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s wonder sire Dubawi motored to a stunning success in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round Three, blitzing the great California Chrome’s course record achieved in the 2016 World Cup to set a new benchmark of 2 minutes 01.71s.
Drawn six in a field of 12, Richard Mullen seized the lead and from there North America was never headed.
The winner was aided considerably by Mullen’s ability to angle on to that rail to race on what has amounted to a golden highway for much of the Dubai World Cup Carnival this season.
All four dirt winners on Saturday; North America, Jordan Sport, Kimbear and Yulong Warrior were drawn in low-figure gates and raced prominently or led. Watch North America’s race again and it is a wonder he did not dip under the fabled two minutes in the 2000-meter event, such was the blend of lightning early pace before his sustained power held at bay old Godolphin rival and two-time Group One winner Thunder Snow by just over five lengths.
Kadyrov has long held a fascination with racing in Dubai, and his late swoops to buy fancied horses in order to secure a win on the most valuable night in world racing are famous in Dubai. The controversial strongman bought North America 12 months ago in an effort to bid to win the Godolphin Mile, but overnight rain scuttled any hope of victory and he trailed in tenth behind Second Summer.
North America may well be the best candidate trained in Dubai for the World Cup, but connections of international rivals such as favorite West Coast, Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Forever Unbridled and even Godolphin’s French raider Talismanic will hardly be quaking ahead of their trip to the Gulf.
Unless North America draws close to the rail in the big one.
“He breaks so well and we were able to be two or so lengths clear at the bend,” Mullen said. “It was a dominant display and he is a horse who we always have faith in.”
Mullen, who is one of the most experienced riders plying their trade in the UAE, showed he had a clear understanding of the faster strip of ground when he guided Yulong Warrior to an upset victory earlier in the day in the Al Bastikiya, the second leg of the UAE Triple Crown that culminates in the UAE Derby.
Drawn in gate one, Mullen bounced his mount out to grab the lead on the rail and the pair never looked back. They won by a monstrous 11 and a half lengths. It was the perfect ride from Mullen, whose ground-saving skills enabled the winner to travel a full ten meters less throughout the race than complete outsider and runner-up Nordic Defense.
Unlike North America, Yulong Warrior’s win does not put him at the apex of the local challenge for the UAE Derby as that mantle is held by Gold Town, Godolphin’s visually stunning UAE 2000 Guineas winner. With top Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien having already pledged to run Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Mendelssohn, who warmed up for his visit to Meydan with a smooth win on the all-weather surface of Dundalk in Ireland on Friday, the Derby looks a tough spot for the Al Bastikiya winner.
The UAE Derby is a race that confers 100 Kentucky Derby points to the winner, but it remains to be seen if the owners of Yulong Warrior believe he is up to that level. They have until March 19 to stump up $6,000 to pitch him in to the Run For The Roses.
“He has surprised me how much he has improved from last time but the nice, low draw has helped him in both of his wins,” Mullen admitted.
“There should be more to come from him but the UAE Derby will be a stronger race again. Fingers crossed we get a nice draw in that as well.” It does not sound like the owners will.
Jordan Sport won the Mahab Al Shimaal, the prep race for the Dubai Golden Shaheen sprint, in record time by leading on the inside, while Kimbear also won the Burj Nahaar, a springboard to the Godolphin Mile, with a cosy inside post position.
Both would have a chance on World Cup night if drawn similarly.
The three turf races, which were all won by Godophin, look unlikely to be key indicators of success in three weeks.
Charlie Appleby’s Jungle Cat, who won the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, has already shown he is not up to winning the Al Quoz Sprint. Godolphin’s former handicapper Blair House enjoyed a fortuitous run up the inside of favorite Benbatl in the Group One Jebel Hatta, and does not look good enough in a hot Dubai Turf. Hawkbill was undeniably impressive in the Group Two Dubai City Of Gold, but has been found wanting at Group One level far too many times to be a factor in the Dubai Sheema Classic.
Racehorse North America has best chance to land Dubai World Cup glory
Racehorse North America has best chance to land Dubai World Cup glory
Jake Paul beats 58-year-old Mike Tyson as hits failed to match the hype
- Downdetector reported that the outage primarily impacted users in major metropolitan areas, including New York, Seattle and Los Angeles
ARLINGTON, Texas: Jake Paul won a unanimous decision over Mike Tyson as the hits didn’t match the hype in a fight between a young YouTuber-turned-boxer and the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Friday night.
All the hate from the pre-fight buildup was gone, with Paul even stopping to pay homage with a bow to Tyson before the final bell sounded at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
The fight wasn’t close on the judge’s cards, with one giving Paul an 80-72 edge and the other two calling it 79-73.
Tyson came after Paul immediately after the opening bell and landed a couple of quick punches but didn’t try much else the rest of the way.
Even fewer rounds and shorter rounds couldn’t do much to generate action for a 58-year-old in his first sanctioned pro fight in almost 20 years, facing a boxing neophyte with hopes of fighting for championships somewhere in the future.
Paul was more aggressive after the quickly burst from Tyson in the opening seconds, but the punching wasn’t very efficient. There were quite a few wild swings and misses.
Tyson mostly sat back and waited for Paul to come to him, with a few exceptions. It was quite the contract the co-main event, another slugfest in which Katie Taylor kept her undisputed super lightweight championship with a decision over Amanda Serrano.
It was the first sanctioned fight since 2005 for Tyson. Paul started fighting a little more than four years ago.
The fight was originally scheduled for July 20 but had to be postponed when Tyson was treated for a stomach ulcer after falling ill on a flight.
Kosovo players walk off in Romania game after ‘Serbia’ chants
Bucharest: A Nations League game between Romania and Kosovo in Bucharest was suspended on Friday in injury time after fans in the crowd shouted “Serbia!.”
The Kosovo players left the pitch after the chants, leading to the game to be paused with the score 0-0.
Animosity between Kosovo and Serbia has persisted since the war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian insurgents in the late 1990s.
Kosovo and Serbia do not play each other in UEFA and FIFA tournaments.
Football’s world governing body opened disciplinary proceedings against Serbia during the 2022 World Cup after the team hung a flag in their changing room depicting Kosovo as part of Serbia.
Kosovo joined FIFA and European confederation UEFA in 2016.
When Romania played in Pristina, they beat Kosovo 3-0.
Ronaldo shines as Portugal rout Poland to reach Nations League last-eight
PORTO, Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal staged a second-half supershow to crush Poland 5-1 and reach the Nations League quarter-finals on Friday.
Portugal join France, Germany, Italy and Spain in the last-eight while Poland’s hopes of going through from Group A1 were ended.
Having struggled to plant a shot on target in the first half, Portugal stepped on the accelerator after the break.
Rafael Leao broke the deadlock in Porto just before the hour mark after starting and finishing the move.
The AC Milan striker raced away and passed to Nuno Mendes whose cross from the left was headed powerfully past Marcin Bulka in the Portugal goal.
Thirteen minutes later, skipper Ronaldo got his name on the scoresheet, converting a penalty after Jakub Kiwior was penalized for a handball in the area.
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes made it 3-0 in the 80th minute, scoring after a clever run by Vitinha.
Pedro Neto added the fourth three minutes later after Ronaldo’s fine pass which left the Polish defense stranded.
As Polish spirits sank, Ronaldo added his second and Portugal’s fifth in the 87th minute with a spectacular overhead kick before Dominik Marczuk tucked away a consolation goal for the visitors.
Poland had enjoyed the better chances before falling behind but their potency in front of goal was blunted by the absence of record goal-scorer Robert Lewandowski who was sidelined with a back injury.
Moments before Leao’s goal, Portuguese keeper Diogo Costa pulled off a fine save to deny Marczuk having also been alert to deny Nicola Zalewski in the first half.
Portugal’s best chance in the first 45 minutes had fallen to Ronaldo who fired a close-range effort over the bar from close range.
Japanese football player Kazuyoshi Miura says he will play next season at age 58
- Miura will turn 58 in February
- He intends to play next season for his fourth-tier Japanese club, Suzuka
TOKYO: Japanese football player Kazuyoshi Miura is several generations older than his teammates. His contemporaries retired decades ago. Lionel Messi is 37, and Cristiano Ronaldo is 39 — mere youngsters compared to Miura.
Miura will turn 58 in February, and the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported this week that he intends to play next season for his fourth-tier Japanese club, Suzuka. It will be his 40th season playing in professional football.
Miura is widely listed as the oldest active professional football player.
Miura scored 55 goals in 89 appearances and was a star with Japan’s national team in the 1990s.
He has played professionally in Brazil, Italy, Croatia, Australia and Portugal. He made his debut in 1986 with Brazilian club Santos, a side made famous by Brazilian star Pele.
Japan beat Indonesia 4-0 to extend group lead in Asian World Cup qualifying
- Japan tops the group on 13 points with five games remaining in the round.
- Australia, Saudi Arabia and China all have 6 points, followed by Bahrain with five and Indonesia with 3
JAKARTA: Japan defeated Indonesia 4-0 on Friday to move seven points clear at the top of Group C in the third round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Two goals in each half mean the Samurai Blue stays on course for an eighth successive World Cup appearance.
After a bright start from the home team, the 78,000 fans at a sold-out Gelora Bung Karno Stadium were silenced after 35 minutes as Daichi Kamada broke down the left and sent a cross which defender Justin Hubner put into his own net from close range.
Takumi Minamino then scored from inside the area off Kaoru Mitoma’s pass to extend the lead five minutes before the break.
Hidemasa Motira took advantage of an errant pass from Indonesia’s goalkeeper to make it 3-0 early in the second half and Yukinari Sugawara rounded out the scoring in the 69th minute.
Japan tops the group on 13 points with five games remaining in the round. Australia, Saudi Arabia and China all have six points, followed by Bahrain with five and Indonesia with three.
The top two from each of the three groups will be guaranteed a place at the World Cup, with the third- and fourth-place teams progressing to the next stage.
