Kinsale King announced himself as a potent new force in the global sprint ranks by taking out the Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by Gulf News. Although he was making Group 1 debut, Kinsale King was always prominent in the run for jockey Garrett Gomez and never looked like relinquishing the lead having hit the front shortly after the turn for home. In the end, the five-year-old California-based son of Yankee Victor held a half-length margin at the line from the much-touted Singaporean star Rocket Man. (Image: Andrew Watkins)

Hong Kong’s One World was a length and a half further behind in third. “I just wanted to get involved in the race early and once got he got involved he travelled well and in the last 400m he stayed on well. It was wonderful,” Gomez enthused.

American horses remain virtually unbeatable in this race. It was the 10th success by a Stateside sprinter since its introduction in 1996. And for overjoyed trainer Carl O’C¸allaghan, 34, the result meant the world as his young career reached its zenith.

“This is what I want to do with my life and hopefully this proves that I can train and that it opens up a few more doors for me,” he said.

Commenting on Kinsale King, he continued: “He’s a great horse. He’s got a lot of heart, he’s a grinder and he just keeps going. His preparation went well. We took him to Golden Gate to work him on the Tapeta surface there and he went well and he travelled over here well – there was never one hitch.”

A date at the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot now beckons for Kinsale King where he may tackle Hong Kong sprinter Joy And Fun, winner of the Al Quoz Sprint earlier on the programme.

Post race quotes from the Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by Gulf News

Garrett Gomez, jockey, Kinsale King, 1st: “It was wonderful. I just wanted to get involved in the race early and once he got involved, he traveled well the whole way and in the last 400 metres, he stayed on well. He ran a wonderful race.”

Carl O’Callaghan, trainer, Kinsale King, 1st: “I knew I had it won when I put the saddle on him. I wasn’t too worried about who else was in the race, but it was just amazing. Leave it to the Irishman. He’s a great horse, has a lot of heart. I don’t need to do a whole lot with him. I just give him his eggs and his Guinness, and let him go.”

O’Callaghan confirms he’s taking Kinsale King to Royal Ascot for the Golden Jubilee.

Robert Fradd, jockey, Rocket Man, 2nd: “The winner came in on me a bit at about the 600 metres. He’d never really been bullied like that before and it took him a little longer than I wanted for him to really quicken up in the straight, but I could just never get on terms with the winner.”

Darren Beadman, jockey, One World, 3rd: “I had a nice position – box seat, three-back on the rails but I got a slight check at about the 600 metres and it knocked him back a bit but he kept on fighting in the straight. He gave his all and we can’t complain too much.”

Shinjita Fujita, jockey, Laurel Guerreiro, 4th: “All Weather was not much different from Polytrack, which we use for the training. He did very well but didn’t take the lead sharply from the gate.”

Corey Brown, jockey, Eagle Falls, 5th: “He ran really well. He got knocked down on the home turn, so it made it just a bit harder.”

Pat Smullen, jockey, Benbaum, 6th: “He ran a blinder. I’m very happy. He got shuffled along a bit on the turn which cost me a bit of ground, but he ran his usual solid consistent race.”

Richard Hills, jockey, Mutheeb, 7th: “The draw is a killer. I was never able to get cover, but believe you me, this is a good horse.”

Lanfranco Dettori, jockey, Gayego, 8th: “He didn’t run very well.”

Tadhg O’Shea, jockey, Force Freeze, 9th: “I travelled well. I had a very good race. They went very fast and they just kept going.”

Adrian Nicholls, jockey, Regal Parade, 10th: “My horse was there against the seven (winner, Kinsale King). I’m trying always to peg my horse back around the outside, but around here with the short one (stretch on the All Weather), you can’t really do it. He ran a good race. There’s a big one in him, no doubt.”