Sheema Classic confirms to the world what Japanese racing fans already knew - Equinox is special
Sunday, 26 March, 2023 10:41
Equinox won the Dubai Sheema Classic (Photo: Masakazu Takahashi)
JRA Champion Horse of 2022, Equinox, sauntered to a devastating win in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic.
Breaking sharply, Christophe Lemaire chose to send his mount straight to the lead. It was a complete change to his usual tactics of holding up Equinox. As Lemaire began to quicken 600 metres from home, the race was essentially over as a contest. The French-rider even had ample time to take long lingering looks over his shoulder inside the final furlong.
Westover rallied late to secure second place 3.5L in arrears, 50/1 Zagrey filled the final podium placing.
There are very few superlatives that accurately describe the ease in which Equinox made a competitive international G1-field look like modest work horses. Despite never being asked a serious question and being significantly eased by Lemaire approaching the line, Equinox smashed the Sheema Classic record by a second.
The result of the Meydan Classic comes as of no surprise to people who witnessed a similarly ruthless display by Equinox in the G1 Arima Kinen on Christmas Day last year. In Japanese betting pools, Equinox was returned as the odds-on 2/5 winner of the Sheema Classic.
Equinox is from the first crop of Kitasan Black out of JRA-G3 winner Chateau Blanche (King Halo). Japan's newest equine superstar has been installed as favourite and given quotes of 6/1 by leading European bookmakers for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. However, connections have already voiced their reservations on an autumn trip to Longchamp, citing the high probability on encountering soft ground as their main concern.
Breaking sharply, Christophe Lemaire chose to send his mount straight to the lead. It was a complete change to his usual tactics of holding up Equinox. As Lemaire began to quicken 600 metres from home, the race was essentially over as a contest. The French-rider even had ample time to take long lingering looks over his shoulder inside the final furlong.
Westover rallied late to secure second place 3.5L in arrears, 50/1 Zagrey filled the final podium placing.
There are very few superlatives that accurately describe the ease in which Equinox made a competitive international G1-field look like modest work horses. Despite never being asked a serious question and being significantly eased by Lemaire approaching the line, Equinox smashed the Sheema Classic record by a second.
The result of the Meydan Classic comes as of no surprise to people who witnessed a similarly ruthless display by Equinox in the G1 Arima Kinen on Christmas Day last year. In Japanese betting pools, Equinox was returned as the odds-on 2/5 winner of the Sheema Classic.
Equinox is from the first crop of Kitasan Black out of JRA-G3 winner Chateau Blanche (King Halo). Japan's newest equine superstar has been installed as favourite and given quotes of 6/1 by leading European bookmakers for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. However, connections have already voiced their reservations on an autumn trip to Longchamp, citing the high probability on encountering soft ground as their main concern.