SONEVA provided trainer Marco Botti with one of the biggest wins of his career when landing the Group 3 Cape Verdi at the Dubai International Racing Carnival on February 5.
The daughter of Cherokee Run, sent off a 13/2 shot, was having her first run for the Botti yard having been transferred to him from France where she had already had a couple of Group 3 wins to her name.
She was reunited with jockey Christophe Soumillon who had ridden her to finish fifth in the French 1000 Guineas and to a Group 3 victory last season.
He gave her a perfect ride, sitting forth before gradually putting his filly into the race. The pace for the mile contest was fair and she settled well.
As the filed rounded the final bend Soumillon asked Soneva to deliver her challenge and she quickened up smartly to take over the running with a furlong to go.
From that point Soumillon kept his mount up to her work and she responded well, staying on to land the spoils from the fast-finishing Godolphin raider, Aspectoflove.
This win, Botti's first at the carnival, comes just a few months after Gitano Hernando gave him an initial Grade 1 triumph by taking the Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita.
A thrilled Soumillon added: "She is a nice filly who I obviously know from France. Hopefully she can build on this."
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