Opera Ballo & Nations Pride clash in G2 Al Rashidiya 

Highly regarded three-year-old Opera Ballo and multiple G1 winner Nations Pride spearhead a three-pronged Godolphin challenge for the G2 Al Rashidiya, the turf highlight of Meydan’s Festive Friday fixture on 19 December.

Ghaiyyath colt Opera Ballo is the highest-rated runner in the field having won four of his six starts for Charlie Appleby, including Listed victories at Sandown Park and on Newmarket’s July Course.

Both of Opera Ballo’s defeats have come over Newmarket’s Rowley Mile, with him showing signs of over-racing in both the G3 Craven Stakes and September’s G2 Joel Stakes, in which he was second. 

Stablemate Nations Pride, a four-time G1 scorer in the US, Canada and Germany, has posted three victories at Meydan, including last season’s G2 Singspiel Stakes Sponsored By Emirates Airline.

A close third in the 2023 G1 Dubai Turf, the Teofilo entire has filled the same position in G1 races in North America on his last two starts.

First Conquest, who was third behind Nations Pride in the Singspiel Stakes, readily took the G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes in January and returns to Meydan following three creditable efforts in the UK.

Charlie Appleby said: “We have taken Opera Ballo to the Rowley Mile twice and been beaten on both occasions, so I think we can say it’s not his course. We were keen to get him back on a turning track and the style of racing at Meydan will hopefully suit. We feel he is a nice colt and are hoping to get him back to winning ways here.

“Nations Pride knows his way round here and has benefitted from a break following his runs in the US and Canada. We also know First Conquest enjoys racing around Meydan and he goes into this fit and well. I feel we have three strong contenders.”

Four royal blue runners in the Listed Business Bay Challenge include dual course and distance scorer Mysterious Night, who was an impressive winner of the 2024 G2 Al Fahidi Fort. A G1 winner in Canada at two, the five-year-old has his first start since finishing second in the G3 Ras Al Khor on Super Saturday.

Al Qudra enjoyed a productive winter campaign last season, headed by victory in Qatar’s Al Rayyan Mile, while the lightly raced Anno Domini also lines up for Charlie Appleby having won two of his four starts in the UK.

Saeed bin Suroor sends out Dubai Beach in the same race. The Blue Point filly makes only a second turf appearance having progressed on the all-weather this year, with three handicap wins at Kempton Park and Chelmsford.

Charlie Appleby said: “Mysterious Night always runs well fresh and has shown his liking for this course and distance in the past. His homework has been good and we are very happy with him.

“Al Qudra has been gelded and has enjoyed the benefit of a long break since his last start in the spring. We feel the track at Meydan and style of racing suits him and the best of his form will make him a player at this level. He is a younger set of legs compared to some in the field and I have been pleased with his preparation.

“Anno Domini also comes into this on the back of a layoff. This will be his first run at Meydan, so it will be a new experience, and he is drawn a bit wider than my other two in the race, which will make it slightly tougher. Hopefully, he can show us something that will allow us to map out the rest of his winter.”

Saeed bin Suroor said: “Dubai Beach is an improving filly, who won three times on the all-weather in the UK this year. She has come on physically out here and I’m hoping she gets a good trip round in what looks a tough race.”

Dubai Treasure bids for back-to-back Listed wins as she drops down to five furlongs for the first time in the Ertijaal Dubai Dash. Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, the Exceed And Excel filly showed plenty of pace when making all to score by three lengths in the Listed Modern Games British EBF Boadicea Stakes at Newmarket’s Dubai Future Champions Festival.

Saeed bin Suroor said: “Dubai Treasure won a Listed race on her latest start and has been working nicely going into this. It is her first run of the winter and I’m looking forward to seeing how she goes.”

By The Book has won two of his three appearances and the Charlie Appleby-trained four-year-old makes his handicap debut in the Dubai Racing Club Classic over 12 furlongs. Stablemate Masai Moon also gets his first experience of Meydan in the same race, having been off the course since Royal Ascot.