Nations Pride and Silver Knott, both graded-stakes winners in North America for trainer Charlie Appleby, were among four stakes winners for trainer Charlie Appleby on Saturday at Meydan. He also won a pair of 3-year-old turf miles on the card with Mountain Breeze and Ruling Court.

Saturday’s Meydan card featured a slate of local prep races for the night of the Group 1 Dubai World Cup, which happens April 5.

Nations Pride won the Singspiel (G2), a 1 1/8-mile turf race that prepares runners for the Dubai Turf (G1) at the same distance five weeks later. Nations Pride, now 6 year old, is a four-time winner at the top level. That includes three races in North America: the 2022 Saratoga Derby (G1), the 2023 Canadian International (G1) and the 2024 Arlington Million (G1).

Nations Pride tracked the pace kindly just behind and outside of pacesetter Cairo. Jockey William Buick nudged him along in upper stretch, and he cut into Cairo’s lead. He led with a furlong and a half remaining, and though Holloway Boy loomed on the outside past midstretch, Nations Pride held that foe at bay to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

Nations Pride won the Singspiel in his first start since finishing ninth as the favorite in the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) at Gulfstream Park on January 25.

“We came here confident that he was where he needed to be to win this race,” Appleby said. “He had valid excuses for his last two defeats as he’s only ever run twice right handed around Bahrain and been beaten twice. Then at Gulfstream he had a torrid shipping, it took a long time to get there and conditions weren’t really suitable.

“Hopefully there might be a bit of improvement to come and we’ll look towards World Cup night and the Dubai Turf. But if Romantic Warrior turns up we’re all running for place money!”

Appleby also won the Dubai City of Gold (G2) with Silver Knott. The 1 1/2-mile turf race is a local prep for the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) at the same distance on Dubai World Cup day. Silver Knott came into his own in races up to 1 1/2 miles in the United States in 2024, winning the Elkhorn (G2), Man o’ War (G2) and Bowling Green (G2) before finishing his 4-year-old season with a pair of Grade 1 placings.

Silver Knott led all the way in the City of Gold, beating Passion And Glory by two lengths, with British challenger See Hector third.

“Last season he spent most of the year in the States and we learned that he is very effective from the front,” said Buick. “He is very professional and he has a good level of ability to go with it. I was delighted with that and hopefully he can improve from it.”

In addition to these older-horse races, Appleby won a pair of turf mile stakes for 3-year-olds. He won the Jumeirah 1000 Guineas with Mountain Breeze, and finished the card with a win in the Jumeirah 2000 Guineas with Ruling Court. Those Saturday victories were the first stakes wins for both of those sophomores, though both of them placed in group company as 2-year-olds.

Elsewhere on the card, 2024 Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) winner Tuz continued his domination of the sprint stakes series at Meydan in 2025. The 8-year-old son of Oxbow won the six-furlong Mahab al Shimaal (G3), his fourth victory of the carnival meet.

Seemar’s sprinting star also made history, becoming the first horse to sweep the Garhoud Sprint, Dubawi Stakes (G3), Al Shindagha Sprint (G3) and the Mahab al Shimaal all in one season.

He did it in his usual style, contributing to blistering fractions up front, especially when taken on by Al Shibli, but was still much too good, bolting up by five lengths from American Stage. Eastern World, winner of this race in 2022, finished third.

“He’s a street fighter, he just keeps coming back – he’s like Muhammad Ali!” said Seemar. “He’s made history by becoming the first horse to win all the big dirt sprints.

“There will be some good sprinters here for the Dubai Golden Shaheen, but we have home turf.”

Seemar also won the Al Maktoum Classic (G2), a 1 1/4-mile prep for the Dubai World Cup, with Imperial Emperor. The 5-year-old gelding was favored but had to deal with post 15. Jockey Tadhg O’Shea was able to secure a spot to the outside of the leaders and was in the perfect position from which to strike in the straight, leading off the final turn and storming home by eight and a half lengths from stablemate Artorius and South Korean raider Global Hit, who ran a superb race from the front.

“This horse is on the up,” O’Shea said. “I’ve only thrown my leg over him three times and I’ve won all three. That was probably a career best for him. It was a true run race and there was no hiding place out there. He’s very, very genuine.”

The Nicolas Caullery team are getting a reputation for causing a shock and they did so again when Fort Payne collected his second Super Saturday win in the Burj Nahaar (G3).

Last year, the win came over seven furlongs on turf in the Ras Al Khor (G3), but Caullery switched the 7-year-old to dirt here, only his second time on the surface.

Ridden by Dylan McMonagle, he was in midfield through the early stages and then got into a battle with Oasis Boy in the final two furlongs, eventually holding off that rival by a length to secure a spot in the Godolphin Mile (G2).

The winner was a first in the UAE for McMonagle, a late replacement for the sidelined Adrie De Vries.

“I spoke to Adrie before the race and he gave me plenty of confidence,” he said. “It’s just my third ride on the dirt but when you have a horse like this fellow it makes it much easier – it was really smooth.

West Acre won his second race of the carnival when just getting there in a thrilling finish to the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3).

George Scott’s gelding was dropping in grade from his Blue Point Sprint (G2) win but had to work hard to overcome the gallant Ponntos who led until half a furlong before the line.

“It was certainly harder work (than the last race),” said jockey Callum Shepherd. “Ponntos got into his normal groove and was slightly away from us which maybe suited him but not us; it would have been nice to have direct aim at him.

“He (West Acre) got away well and got into a nice position. He dug deep, was gritty and galloped out well after the line. I fancy he could be even better over the six furlongs of the Al Quoz Sprint (G1).”