Jungle Cat claims sprint honours as Blue Point withdrawn Jungle Cat claimed top honours in an eventful running of the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan. There was drama before the start of the six-furlong Group One when Jungle Cat's stablemate and hot favourite Blue Point was withdrawn after blood was found in his nostrils before being loaded into the stalls. In his absence Jungle Cat was the first string for trainer Charlie Appleby and Godolphin and after being ridden patiently by James Doyle, the six-year-old found top gear late on to get up and beat American challenger Stormy Liberal with something to spare. Aidan O'Brien's Washington DC finished well to finish fourth, but Dean Ivory's stable star Librisa Breeze was well beaten. Doyle was congratulated by Blue Point's rider William Buick out on the track. Doyle said: "Myself and Will have been good friends since he came over to England. I was gutted for him when I got to the start and saw he was pulled out. I know how much he was looking forward to riding him. "I'm delighted with this fella (Jungle Cat). What a star he is. He's been unbelievable this year and you can just set your watch by him. "He's such a dream to ride out in the mornings. He really is brilliant." He went on: "He jumped well and settled in the mid-pack with horses around him and I gave myself the option to move out to the right. "It was fantastic the way the race panned out, because he stays seven. But when he got to the front and won his race, he shut down in the last few strides." Appleby was struggling to contain his emotions after claiming his first ever World Cup night victory. He said: "I'm delighted. I don't know what's happened to Blue Point, but I knew Jungle Cat was in the form of his life. "The team have done a fantastic job. Jungle Cat deserves to win a race like this. I fancied him last year and then the rain came and that was his chance gone. "I don't think I'd ever had him in such good shape. When he won here before he broke well and he did it again, which was key. "He's a Group One winner now and I'm very proud of him." He added: "The Carnival has gone so well and I'm just very relieved to put one on the board for myself on World Cup night. "I'm delighted for Godolphin and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed."
