English/Ire
‘This horse just has such a big engine’ - Opera Ballo brushes aside Jebel Hatta rivals
Meydan regulars Charlie Appleby and William Buick took up their customary position in the winners’ circle when Opera Ballo put up an impressive performance in the Jebel Hatta.
Godolphin's four-year-old was sent off at prohibitive odds following a commanding strike over stablemate Nations Pride in the Al Rashidiya over the same course and distance last month and a repeat success never really looked out of the equation.
Despite racing exuberantly in behind the pacesetting Nations Pride, Opera Ballo still had bundles more to offer when William Buick popped him the question up the straight and with the minimum of fuss, he pulled clear to beat former Canadian International winner Silawi by two and a half lengths.
The son of Ghaiyyath, who was enjoying his first Group 1 winner in the Northern Hemisphere as a sire, won his first two outings at Kempton before failing to land a blow in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket. He has since gone on to strike twice at Listed level in the Heron Stakes and Sir Henry Cecil Stakes, with Appleby positive that his horse can continue on an upward trajectory.
"Will (Buick) said he hasn't ridden a horse as keen as him that can carry on galloping since his father Ghaiyyath and he's ridden plenty of good horses as we know," said Appleby, who was winning the Jebel Hatta for the sixth time having claimed it with the likes of Barney Roy, Tryster and Measured Time in the past.
"Ghaiyyath was the same at home, a routine horse at home who would turn up at the races as a different beast. This horse is the same, as you saw there in the run, Will was keen to keep him in behind horses but in doing so that could have been the beating for us.
"If he emptied out up the straight it wouldn't have been a surprise, but this horse has just such a big engine, he just keeps powering on and he quickens.
"He's exciting but he's very much a work in progress. I think he'll get the ten (furlongs), I'm not sure I'd be strong enough to say whether he'd get the mile and a half just yet, but he doesn't stop.
"He keeps galloping and it takes a lot for a horse to do that. It's a fantastic result for Ghaiyyath as well; to have a son of his win the Jebel Hatta, we're delighted for everyone.
On future plans, a return to Meydan for the Dubai Turf looks like the obvious next step, although Appleby will let the dust settle before setting anything in stone.
"I'd imagine he'll come back but we'll see what Godolphin have coming in as well. I don't want to stand here and say he'll come here for the Dubai Turf after I've just explained that he's a work in progress.
"If we go to the Dubai Turf we could run a race, get beat, and not have a horse afterwards. He's very much one to manage the best we can as he's a horse with a bright future."
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