Although he had been away from the track for over three months, Long John was no worse for wear as he ran away from the field in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Meydan on Thursday evening.

Long John became the 14th Group 1 winner by Darley shuttler Street Cry in last year’s Caulfield Guineas.  His sire’s 15th career winner at the highest level came the next month when two-year-old New Year’s Day captured the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita .

Long John (4g Street Cry – Hosiery by Night Shift) is a Darley homebred and had won 5 of his 8 starts before shipping off-shore.  Besides the Caulfield Guineas, he had won the LR Anzac Day Stakes and LR Henry Bucks Stakes.  He was last seen in Australia when unplaced in the G1 Cox Plate.

Now a four year-old to northern hemisphere time, he settled in nicely in midfield until the field rounded the turn for home.  At that point, the favourite sprinted clear and held a comfortable four length advantage on the line.

“He doesn’t show much in morning work,” trainer Charlie Appleby said of the newcomer to his stable.  “He galloped out well and had a nice blow.  He’s a lovely horse.”

The G2 UAE Derby on March 29 is Long John’s ultimate goal at the Dubai World Cup Carnival.

Out of the Night Shift mare Hosiery, a three-quarter sister to the Stakes place Mielleuse and a half-sister to the Hong Kong-G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup winner Masked,

The Street Cry gelding is a half-brother to LR Breeder’s Plate winner Ribald (Strategic).  Their dam Hosiery is a half-sister to G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup winner Masked.