Romantic Style Heads International Cape Verdi at Meydan

With five runners from four different countries, the Jan. 17 Cape Verdi Stakes (G2T), the feature on the nine-race Dubai Racing Carnival card, is a truly international affair. The select field might be in part due to the presence of one of the United Arab Emirates runners, Romantic Style (IRE), who will aim to improve her owner Godolphin's already excellent record in this AED850,000, 1,600-meter (about one-mile) turf event. Godolphin has won it 11 times, and Romantic Style could add to that if able to reproduce the form which saw her win the Prix Imprudence (G3) at Deauville in April 2024, or her fourth in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1) a month later. "We are very pleased with Romantic Style heading into her seasonal return and her preparation has gone well," said trainer Charlie Appleby. "This is a starting point ahead of a potential European campaign and, if she runs to the level she showed in the French Guineas, it will make her the one to beat. Hopefully, this can set her up for a good year." One of Romantic Style's opponents, Easywithme (IRE), boasts an impressive record of four wins from six starts, since being purchased at the 2022 Goffs Sportsman's Yearling Sale for just €6,000. "She's a smart little filly, although obviously she has a few pounds to find," said Norway-based trainer Niels Petersen. "She's only run six times and she hasn't done a lot wrong. She ran against the Danish filly (Ultima) but on very heavy ground which she just didn't handle." The field is completed by the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Choisya (GB), a five-time winner; Ultima (GER), representing Denmark-based trainer Veronika Jandova; and Ziggy's Dream (IRE), who makes her second Carnival start for British trainer Alice Haynes. Three-year-old fillies star in the second-most valuable race on the card, the AED400,000 Cocoa Beach Stakes, over 1,600 meters on dirt. The field of nine includes Salem Bin Ghadayer's Arigatou Gozaimasu, who was a 8 1/2-length debut winner before finishing eighth against the colts in the Jan. 3 UAE Two Thousand Guineas Trial. The filly, a New York-bred by the state's 2024 leading freshman sire Honest Mischief, was purchased for $235,000 by Carson McCord from the Sequel Bloodstock consignment at the 2024 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Flama Sunshine and Queen Azteca, who finished one-two last time out in the Shahama Stakes over 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs), are among Arigatou Gozaimasu's chief competition. Castlewarden Bids to Uphold Family Honor One of the most fascinating races on the card is the Defender 525 Edition Handicap, race 8, over 1,400 meters on dirt. It features the local debut of Castlewarden, 5-year-old full brother to 2024 Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Laurel River, both of whom are homebreds for Juddmonte Farm and trained by Bhupat Seemar. "Castlewarden is ready to run," said Seemar. "He seems like a nice horse. Unfortunately, he's drawn 9 of nine, but then that didn't stop his brother! (Laurel River was drawn 12 of 12 in the Dubai World Cup.) Hopefully he can get out and get up there." The Into Mischief horse started his career in the United States for trainer Brad Cox, earning a 2-0-2 record in four starts in 2023-24. Doug Watson runs two, including dual course winner Mubakker, who returns after a prolonged absence. "Mubakker is doing great," said the trainer. "We had him ready for Super Saturday last season but he came slightly lame from his final work, so we had to stop with him again. "He's going to be almost two years off the track which is a long layoff, so I'm not sure, fitness-wise. He's been good fresh but this is the first time it's been two years." Watson also runs local debutant Olzhakhan, winner of six of his 16 starts in Kazakhstan and Russia.