Fly Down comes unstuck at the hands of Kreem
Report: Saudi Arabia, Friday
Janadriyah (Riyadh): King's Cup (Custodian Of The Two Holy Mosques Cup) (Group 1-local) 1m4f, dirt, 3yo+
KREEM (Bader Resaque/Roberto Perez) denied former US top-notcher Fly Down in Saudi Arabia's most prestigious race, the King's Cup, which is often used as a stepping stone towards the Dubai World Cup.
Johnny Murtagh was in the saddle on the runner-up, trained by Baden Al Subaie, who hit the front fully three furlongs out only to be collared close home.
Useful in France where he won the Group 3 Prix Du Lys at Chantilly in June for Andre Fabre, this was a career-best effort from Kreem, a four-year-old son of Hurricane Run, while it was seen as a shock defeat by many for Fly Down who had won the Group 2 prep race, the Crown Prince Cup on his previous start.
Thirteenth in last year's $10million Dubai World Cup on his final start for Nick Zito, Fly Down had finished third to Blame in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic.
The 2012 World Cup remains Fly Down's target this year but Kreem is nominated only foe the Dubai Gold Cup over 2m, although there is a supplementary entry stage next week so connections could yet target the world's richest horse race.
Both horses are owned by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz & Sons, whose Premium Tap found only Invasor too good in the 2007 Dubai World Cup at Nad Al Sheba.
Former Mark Johnston horse Step In Time was third in the King's Cup.
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