Breeding & Racing Magazine

Seachange 6th & Niconero 11th In Gr1 Dubai Duty Free

Also in the Gr1 Dubai Duty Free, Queenslander Dick Karreman's 7-time Gr1-winning 5YO mare & current NZ Horse-Of-The-Year Seachange (Cape Cross-Just Cruising, by Broad Reach) raced just behind the leaders until the straight & took an inside run to join them at the 400m, but then faded in the final stages to finish a creditable 6th (ridden by Ted Durcan for trainer Ralph Manning). Durcan summed up: "She ran extremely well: there were no excuses. The 1777m stretched her stamina & that was it." Australian dual Gr1-winning 6YO gelding Niconero (Danzero-Nicola Lass, by Scenic) raced back in the field & was never in the hunt to eventually finish 11th in the field of 16 (ridden by Australian jockey Craig Williams for trainer David Hayes). Williams commented: "I thought I might finish in the money at the 450m pole, but his effort petered out close to home. He has still beat one of the best Hong Kong horses in the world (Bullish Luck, who finished 13th, ridden by fellow Australian jockey Brett Prebble) so we have to be proud of him."