English/Ire
Cover Up claims Blue Point crown for Buick and Crisford team
William Buick gained another customary Meydan winner when Cover Up struck in the Blue Point Sprint on Friday.
The progressive six-year-old was sent off a 2/1 chance in the hands of double-seeking William Buick following his commanding course and distance Listed success – a repeat victory never really looked out of the equation.
Drawn in stall ten, the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Cover Up settled well behind the pace which was set by the speedy Ponntos and as the latter started to falter with half a furlong to travel, Buick pounced on new leader Echo Point before drawing clear to score by a length. The front-running Ponntos finished back in third.
"He won really well back in December, and he's just been a different animal this year, much more straight forward mentally, bigger and stronger," said Ed Crisford, who trains the six-year-old in partnership with his father Simon.
"It's the second time he's been here and he's enjoying it. He was training super well into the race, and it set up nicely for him.
"He likes to be covered up and amongst horses, William (Buick) says when he's amongst them he finds another gear, but when he isn't, he doesn't. He enjoys it.
"I always felt comfortable in the last furlong."
With there being no Group 1 five-furlong contest on the remainder of the Dubai programme, Cover Up now looks set to return to chillier climates.
"There's nothing really left for him here, so we'll probably take him back to the UK and see where we go. We might have to look at an Ascot or something, he deserves a crack at one."
Charlie Appleby's number one was completing a double on the card, having enjoyed Group 3 success on the dirt at Meydan when Drew's Gold struck in the Al Shindagha Sprint.
The son of American stallion Violence was parked wide throughout under Buick but came home strongly to see off El Nasseeb by a length and a quarter.
"I was delighted when I picked up the ride as he did it well last time," said Buick,
"He's a super progressive horse and he travelled comfortably on the outside before letting him come home in his own time. He changed his leads and came home well.
"We were anticipating a stronger pace, but we were always going to be on the outside out the kickback."
Bhupat Seemar added: "Coming from a handicap to a group company is never easy but he's done it really well,"
"We haven't had him too long but it's two starts and two wins."
Earlier on Elnajmm showed significant battling qualities to come out a neck on top of Johnny Murtagh's Chicago Critic, who went down fighting under Ben Coen in the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort.
Trained by Michael Costa, Elnajmm overcame notable traffic problems in the straight to outbattle Chicago Critic late on, with the Nicolas Caullery-trained Tumbler, who also suffered in-running issues, half a length away in third.
Winning rider Andrew Slattery, who has been based with Bhupat Seemar since October, said: "The fast pace suited and it's a really good training performance after a year off the track to come back and win a Group 2.
"I know he's a highly rated horse but that's an exceptional performance. I was just looking for gaps the whole way around and wondering when the next one was going to come.
"He's just a really smart horse. I don't know where he'll go next, but I just hope Michael [Costa, trainer] might let me get my leg over again."
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