Mostahdaf team eyeing distance switch for Dubai fourth

Ten-furlong options in the equation after Sheema Classic run.

Mostahdaf is likely to be dropped back to 10 furlongs when he returns to action following a respectable effort when up against Japanese superstar Equinox in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

John and Thady Gosden’s five-year-old produced a career best to win the mile-and-a-quarter Neom Turf Cup in tremendous fashion in February.

But he had the misfortune of bumping into Tetsuya Kimura’s ultra-impressive colt when upped to a mile and a half at Meydan, paying the price for trying to match strides with Equinox and fading into fourth in the World Cup night Group One.

Having secured GBP 750,000 for his Riyadh success and topped that up with a further GBP 250,000 for finishing fourth in Dubai, the son of Frankel is now enjoying a well-earned rest before recommencing battle on home soil later in the summer.

“He bumped into a monster and I thought he ran a great race,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell, when reflecting on Mostahdaf’s exploits in the early part of 2023.

“He probably paid the price for chasing the winner off the bend late on and faded to fourth. The winner was that good he just went right away and our horse tried to go with him off the bend and paid for that.

“I think we will probably drop him back in trip in time to a mile and a quarter. He has plenty of pace, as we saw in Saudi the time before.

“I spoke to John (Gosden) and he seemed very happy with the horse and he seems to have come out of the race in really good shape. We’ll just freshen him up, give him a little break and hopefully have him back mid-summer.

“He’s done us proud and has earned GBP 1million before the season has started over here.”

Although there may be few secrets left to discover about Mostahdaf, there is plenty to learn about his half-brother Mostabshir in the coming months.

Also trained by the Gosdens, the Dark Angel colt is nearing a return following a taking debut at Kempton in November and is a possible for a Guineas trial in the next couple of weeks if continuing to please connections.

“We’re happy with him so far and he will probably run during that Craven week, either at Newmarket or Newbury,” continued Gold.

“We will just see nearer the time if that will be the Craven Stakes or the conditions race there (Newmarket), or even the Greenham.

“But we will see how he is doing and whether we want to start him off a bit easier than that, or if everyone is happy with him and we go for a trial.

“He’s won his only start and he’s potentially nice, but now we have to see the next step.”

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