Turf Sprint goes to Space Blues in Riyadh Space Blues made a winning return to action after a six-month break with a narrow victory in the stc Turf Sprint in Riyadh. Winner of all four of his four starts in the summer, culminating in a first Group One success in the Prix Maurice de Gheest, the Charlie Appleby-trained five-year-old looks set for another lucrative campaign. Krispen made the early running and was pressed by the former Richard Hannon-trained Urban Icon, who set sail for home in the straight. Space Blues shrugged off his stablemate Glorious Journey, but had to knuckle down for William Buick to catch Urban Icon and last year’s winner, Dark Power. He managed it in the shadow of the post to score a shade cosily in the end from Dark Power, ridden by Frankie Dettori, with Urban Icon just behind in third. Gifts Of Gold sprang a 33-1 surprise when taking the spoils in the Red Sea Turf Handicap. The lesser fancied of two Godolphin runners, Saeed bin Suroor’s six-year-old came with a surging run to assert a furlong and put the race to bed in the hands of Pat Cosgrave. Gifts Of Gold had been well-beaten over mile at Meydan last month on his first run since since September, but bounced back from that over this one mile and seven furlongs. Last year’s winner Call The Wind and Mildenberger set the early pace, until the complexion of the race changed at the top of the straight when plenty of horses were in contention. Gifts Of Gold’s move proved decisive and the outsider took a handy advantage. Andrew Balding’s Spanish Mission looked dangerous, but had to settle for second place. Godolphin’s first string, the Appleby-trained Secret Advisor, stayed on for third place.
