There are new names on the roll of honour for the Gr2 Cape Verdi Stakes (sponsored by Al Tayer Motors) after Choisya upset favourite Romantic Style.
The new etchings are that of father and son duo Simon and Ed Crisford, who have trained the five-year-old for all her 18 starts.
The Night Of Thunder mare only had four to beat, but they included Gr1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches fourth Romantic Style, sent off the hot favourite for Charlie Appleby.
Choisya extends her lead under Mickael Barzalona (Pic – DRC)
She could find little in the straight, however, as Choisya extended the lead she had held for the whole race under Mickael Barzalona, cruising home by five and a quarter lengths for her sixth career success.
Barzalona had won this race twice before, but wins don’t come much easier than this and he was phlegmatic afterwards.
“I got an easy lead in front; it felt like a French race,” he said. “When I asked her to pick up she did it very well.
“It would have been better to have a lead but all of the others had the instructions to take back; sometimes it is lucky to have horses who are versatile like she is.”
Choisya is now likely to line up in the G2 Balanchine, over 200metres further, on February 21.
Petersen Doubles Dubai Tally
Norway-based trainer Niels Petersen has won just about every major race in Scandinavia but his Dubai record read 1/184 prior to tonight. Now, that one has become a two thanks to Queen Azteca’s victory in the Cocoa Beach Stakes (sponsored by Land Rover), for three-year-old fillies over 1600metres on dirt.
Queen Azteca had been second to the re-opposing Flama Sunshine last time out in the Shahama Stakes and that filly was poised to strike when Arigatou Goziamasu began to falter after setting a furious pace up front. Instead, Flama Sunshine emptied fast and Queen Azteca came with a determined run along the rail, winning by eight lengths from Taswaheen, who also closed late.
“It was a second UAE win for Chilean jockey Carlos Lopez, based in Scandinavia for much of his career. “It means a lot,” he said. “We’ve had very tough situation in Scandinavia [due to financial uncertainty] so this will bring a lot of happiness and I’m proud to be a part of it.
“I was very lonely when everyone went for the spot I wanted, but I decided to leave her there as I knew I had a horse for distance and she would get there. She has so much class and she will improve even more for more distance.”
Al Mheiri Stakes Championship Claims with four-timer
It was a night to remember for dual UAE Champion Trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri, who celebrated four wins. The rout was started in race two when he saddled Legend Of Cannes, who cost Abubaker Ibrahim Kadoura just AED45,000 at the April Horses In Training Sale in April, The gelding won more than twice that when collecting AED114,000 in the Defender Handicap over 1900m on turf.
Previously trained by Fawzi Nass, this was his third run for Musabbeh Al Mheiri and he survived travelling five wide into the straight under Silvestre De Sousa, getting up for a neck win over Lunatick, with Emperor’s Star third.
“He showed a good willing attitude and he’s been well trained at home, said De Sousa after his 14th win of the season. “He has run in a couple of good races and now he has slipped down to his own class.
“I always planned to be just behind the leaders and I was happy with the way he travelled. I thought they were going a bit quick, so I just rode my own race.”
De Sousa and Al Mheiri were back in the winner’s enclosure 35 minutes later when Echo Point landed the competitive Defender OCTA Handicap, over 1400metres on turf.
The former Appleby-trainee benefitted from a good pace set by Changing Colours and forged ahead in the straight, showing some tenacity to hold off the lunging Andreas Vesalius by a neck. It was a new track record, the winner crossing the line in 1:21.45, beating the previous time set by Al Suhail.
“He ran a tough race last time in a Listed contest, beaten less than two lengths, so he deserves to win a race like this and he’s a horse we like a lot,” said De Sousa.
“It felt as though they went hard early on, a genuine pace. Because they went so quick he didn’t pick up the way he should, but we still managed to get a track record. He’s a nice horse.”
The wins kept on coming for Al Mheiri; a third when Haasim won the Defender X-Dynamic Handicap, for non-winners of two races, over 1200metres on turf.
The consistent gelding had been second or third on his previous seven starts, but got the job done here, coming from the back of the field to wear down Warsong, who had gone for home along the rail. The eventual margin was just under a length, with Falcon Of Arabia two and a quarter lengths back in third.
“He’s a seven furlong [1400metre] horse really, so we kind of knew he’d be outpaced early,” said winning rider Danny Tudhope. “It’s all about judging it and making sure he had enough left at the end.
“He’s been so consistent all season and I think he’s gone up 9lbs without a win, so he deserved that.”
Asad Zabeel Rains on El Nasseeb’s Parade
Most of the talk ahead of race eight, the Defender 525 Edition Handicap, over 1400metres on dirt, was around Al Mheiri’s unbeaten El Nasseeb, two from two ahead of this contest.
However, he had to settle for second after giving significant ground away on the bend and instead the win went to stablemate Asad Zabeel, completing the Al Mheiri four-timer.
The Shadwell-owned six-year-old was making it two wins in a row, having scored over course and distance in November. He made it look easy, travelling well throughout and hitting the front with 400metres to go. El Nasseeb finished two lengths back in second, with Castlewarden, younger brother of Dubai World Cup winner Laurel River, third.
“He’s a very versatile horse. He could go from six furlongs [1200metres] to a mile [1600metres],” said winning jockey De Sousa, completing his own treble.
“I was going so easy early on and they were setting good fractions. I just had to ask him and then he grabbed the bridle. He responded with every effort and everything went perfectly.”
Delorean Motors Home
Trainer Ahmad Bin Harmash’s team have been consistent all season and he registered his twelfth win when Delorean took the last, the Defender Sedona Edition Handicap, over 1900metres on turf.
The six-year-old was a useful turf performer when trained in the UK and enjoyed being back on it here, running on well inside the final 100metres and securing the win by a length from Berkshire Nugget, who put in a game effort from the front.
“He travelled really well all the way. We were just looking for the gaps to open all the way up the straight and luckily they did,” said winning rider Connor Beasley. “He was one of the stable stars last season, winning twice up the hill at Jebel Ali, and it was a good call by the boss to step him up in trip.
Back to the start of the card, and the opening Defender 90 Handicap, for Purebred Arabians over 1400metres, went to the local-bred Haddaf Al Wathba. He took his career record to two from eight, winning by three-quarters of a length for trainer Khalifa Al Neyadi and jockey Saif Al Balushi.
Race four, the Defender 130 Handicap on dirt, was declared Void after Military Artist broke through the starting gate and the red flag was waved.
Meydan resumes action next Friday, January 24, when the fantastic Fashion Friday card features nine pattern races, including the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge and G1 Jebel Hatta
