Azure Coast steals the show at Dubai World Cup Carnival with UAE 2000 Guineas victory

Lord Glitters was a class act in retaining the Group 2 Singspiel Stakes, but the horse that stole the show on Week 5 of the Dubai World Cup Carnival was Russian thunderbolt Azure Coast.

6pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah – Group 2 (PA) $40,000 (Dirt) 1,600mWinner: AF Alajaj, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)

6.35pm: Race of Future – Handicap (TB) $80,000 (Turf) 2,410mWinner: Global Storm, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

7.10pm: UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600mWinner: Azure Coast, Antonio Fresu, Pavel Vashchenko

7.45pm: Business Bay Challenge – Listed (TB) $100,000 (T) 1,400mWinner: Storm Damage, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor

20.20pm: Curlin Stakes – Listed (TB) $100,000 (D) 2,000mWinner: Appreciated, Fernando Jara, Doug O’Neill

8.55pm: Singspiel Stakes – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800mWinner: Lord Glitters, Daniel Tudhope, David O'Meara

9.30pm: Al Shindagha Sprint – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200mWinner: Meraas, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi

Azure Coast, under Antonio Fresu, produced an electrifying run to come from last to first in the Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas at Meydan on Friday.

Slow out of the gates, Fresu settled Azure Coast a long way behind in last. He then appeared to change gears as they approached the final bend before storming past the field to win from Kiefer and Quality Boone by two lengths and a nose respectively.

Azure Coast ran a similar race on his local debut over the 1,400-metre trip, and after stepping up in distance, he won hands down.

“This is a very good horse, I’ve been helping them (connections) a lot in the morning,” Fresu said. “Stupid of me I didn’t chose to ride him last time as I thought seven furlongs was way too short. But last time he showed even over seven