It has been proven time and again that wide draws are no barrier to success at Meydan and that was the case again when First Conquest overcame stall 15 in the Lord North Handicap (sponsored by DP World) – the feature race on Friday’s Carnival card.
First Conquest (Mickael Barzalona) victoriously overcomes the wide draw at Meydan (Pic – DRC)
Charlie Appleby’s Dubawi gelding had won two of his four starts prior to this Dubai debut, when he was stretching out to 1800m for the first time. That too proved no problem, as jockey Mickael Barzalona was able to bide his time after a slow start and overcome some trouble in running 400m out. At the 200m marker, he said ‘go’ and got a big response.
First Conquest stormed clear and beat See Hector, who finished well on his UAE debut, by four lengths. Favourite Arabian Light was a further four lengths back in third.
It was a first win of the Carnival for Barzalona, who is riding as a freelance this season.
“My horse broke OK but wasn’t fast enough to get up with the pace, so we took our time and the rhythm was OK,” said the Dubai World Cup-winning rider. “He was very good once he got a clear run. He’s still an immature horse, but he did everything well today.”
First Conquest’s win was the highlight of a treble for Appleby, who earlier took the second race, the National Industrial Park Handicap, over 1400m on turf, with Creative Story.
Ridden by William Buick, the four-year-old broke his maiden in good style here, travelling prominently and hitting the front 100m out, beating The Camden Colt by a length and a half.
“He felt good over that trip, but there’s no reason why he won’t get a mile,” said Buick. “It’s hard to say what level he will get to, but he should improve off that tonight.”
Buick celebrated a double when Symbol Of Honour took the Al Wasl Stakes (sponsored by DP World), for three-year-olds over 1200m on turf.
The Havana Grey gelding had to work hard for the win, however, engaging in a battle for the last 200m with the George Scott-trained West Acre who fought hard under Dylan McMonagle but eventually succumbed by a head.
“He had to dig really deep,” said Buick. “I think he probably needed the race after a bit of a layoff but I really liked that when he got headed he battled back gamely. The five- and six-furlong races here, when they meet the intersection and the straight course, the race really starts and we just got caught a little flat-footed there.
“I think he’s more a horse for six-seven furlongs, he’s not a horse to drop down in distance.”
Heart Of Honor Stakes Guineas Claim
British trainer Jamie Osborne’s good Carnival continued when his Heart Of Honor remained unbeaten with a second smooth success in the opening Dubai Maritime City contest for three-year-old non-winners of two.
Ridden again by Adrie De Vries, the son of Honor A.P. had two horses to pass in the final furlong but made light work of it, cruising past Royal Favour for a two a half-length success.
“He had a few quicker horses around him this time and they came across him and he got a bit of kickback,” said De Vries. “He didn’t learn much last time as we were three or four wide and he didn’t face any kickback. He still had a good old look when he hit the front, so I think there’s a bit more in the tank.
“We mustn’t forget that he was giving away 5lbs too, probably to a good horse, so it was a tough performance.”
Heart of Honor is likely to be seen next in the Gr3 UAE 2000 Guineas on Fashion Friday, January 24.
There was a second international success on the eight-race card when the Spanish-trained Thundering took the closing JAFZA One Handicap, over 2410m on turf.
The six-year-old was making his first start for trainer Guillermo Arizkorreta, who earlier this week celebrated his 1000th winner in Spain. It was a win which for a long time looked destined for Godolphin; Richie Mullen and Kalidasa having opened a commanding lead on the rest of the pack. However, Thundering and jockey Vaclav Janacek had him in his sights turning in, getting there with almost a length and a half to spare.
“When I saw his races, he looked a little bit complicated and in the race he was a little bit hot,” said the Czech-born Spanish Champion Jockey, who dedicated the win to Blanca Ojanguren, daughter of the head of the Spanish Jockey Club Paulino Ojanguren, who tragically passed away recently.
“We had a bad draw [16] so we just sat behind and relaxed. I saw the Godolphin horse was too far in front but step by step, finally, we caught him. It was hard work today!
“I want to thank my team, in Spain and here. Spain is like my second home; this win is a little bit of a dream for me.”
Mohammed Owns, Trains Winner
Trainer Ismail Mohammed had only had one winner this season prior to tonight but he was able to celebrate as both owner and trainer when Barq Al Emarat took the Dubai Auto Zone Handicap, over 1200m on dirt.
The son of Mehmas was second behind Welcome Dream last time out and got the job done this time under jockey Sandro Paiva, chasing down Smart System with 2000m left to run and powering clear for a three and a half-length win.
“I’ve galloped him twice and I was very happy with his performance in the morning,” said Paiva. “He broke well and travelled comfortably, I just had to wait for the right time to go in the straight.”
Tawalla Goes Whoosh!
There could be a new sprinting star among the local ranks, after Tawalla bolted up in race seven, the JAFZA Logistics Park Handicap, over 1000m on turf.
The Michael Costa trainee was running for the third time at Meydan and relished the switch back to turf and drop in trip, travelling well up with the pace under Ben Coen and charging home by two and three-quarter lengths from Al Muzn, with Thunder Of Niagara third.
“He showed a lot of pace over 1400m on the dirt, but today was very uncomplicated,” said Coen. “He was comfortable the whole way. He’s a funny horse; he holds his head quite high and always feels like he’s doing the bare minimum.
“I thought if one of them came to me, he’d have pulled out a bit more.”
The most dramatic winner of the night was probably Violent Justice, who earned jockey Sam Hitchcott plenty of fans with a late burst to win the JAFZA Handicap, over 2000m on dirt.
The race contained UAE 2000 Guineas winner Mendelssohn Bay, but he was struggling in behind while Local Dynasty set sale for home, looking to have the race won. He had reckoned without Hitchcott, however, who galvanised Doug Watson’s Violent Justice to an unlikely first Meydan win, getting there right on the line for a half-length success.
“Turning in, I thought I’d be happy with fourth!” said Hitchcott. “He’s a funny horse, he doesn’t really help himself. Jason Wilkinson who rides him at home does an incredible job because he’s a tearaway and takes a bit of anchoring.
“He toughed it out tonight and went through the kickback. Once he got a little bit of room and wasn’t being completely blasted with kickback, he kept finding for me. As tricky as he is, he’s actually quite honest.”
Dubai Racing Carnival continues next Friday, January 17, when the Gr2 Cape Verdi is the feature.
