Same, but different… smart new branding and a new-look Saddling Area greeted Meydan racegoers for the first meeting of the Dubai Racing Carnival.
However, it was the same as the last meeting in March in that Dubai World Cup-winning combo of Tadhg O’Shea and Bhupat Seemar took the feature race, the Emirates Airline Handicap, with the exciting Imperial Emperor.
Imperial Emperor (Tadhg O’Shea) wins the Emirates Airline Handicap (Pic – Dubai Racing Club)
The well-bred son of Dubawi and Gr1 winner Zhukova was an AED300,000 purchase at the March Racing in Dubai Sale by owners Deva Racing and their investment has quickly paid off.
Despite a wide draw in 12, the four-year-old was always up with the pace and O’Shea was able to assert in the straight, powering clear of stablemate Laasudood in the final 400metres for a two and a half-length success.
“It’s great to be back at Meydan and great to get a win on the board,” said O’Shea, who enjoyed a successful stint in Japan during the summer. “I think he’s a smart horse. It was a bit of a tricky pick for me, as Sheikh Hissa’s [Al Maktoum] retained rider isn’t in town yet and that horse [Laasudood] has good form. But this horse had been working extremely well.
“I was a bit concerned, as I had to get him to jump and get him up there. He’d only run on turf before and dirt and turf racing – there’s no comparison – but I had a willing partner.
“I should congratulate the second jockey, Richie Mullen, as he actually suggested this horse to the owners at the Racing in Dubai Sale. I don’t like to set targets for horses but he could make a Godolphin Mile horse one day.”
Costa and Coen at the Double
Jockey Ben Coen had a delayed start to the local season due to injury, but the Jebel Ali Stables’ first rider took just three goes to get back into the Winner’s Enclosure.
His mount, the Michael Costa-trained Mojeyrr, had earlier won a trial around Meydan and put that experience to good use by just about making all of the running and beating Khanjar by a length and three-quarters.
“In an ideal world you’d just sit second and get a lead, but that’s not how it worked out,” said Coen. “He’s definitely a horse who has matured from last season, so hopefully he can go on and win a few more.”
The Costa double was completed in race six, the 1400metre Emirates Skywards maiden when Gabooll made a winning debut.
The $150,000 Keeneland September purchase overcame a little greenness but was professional where it mattered in the straight, beating stablemate Alsayel by four and three-quarter lengths.
“Last year they were just growing and blossoming and didn’t really show much at home,” said Costa of first and second. “But they’ve done well over the summer and we knew we were coming to the races with two nice horses.
“The winner [Gabooll] had a great trip but the second [Alsayel] took a little bit of kickback.”
New Oasis Stables resident jockey Danny Tudhope has made a fine start to his tenure and he collected a fifth winner of the campaign when Awab ran away with the first Thoroughbred race, the Emirates Holidays two-year-old Maiden over 1400metres.
Tudhope kept it simple on the Street Sense debutant, coming from off the pace to beat his three rivals with ease; the winning margin being five and a half lengths back to second Diamond Dealer.
“He’s been training well at home and he’s a nice horse, he can jump and travel,” said the jockey. “We didn’t go very quickly so I didn’t want to take back. He was happy and he did it nicely.”
Tudhope’s role with trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri was in part created by Bernardo Pinheiro’s move across town to Salem Bin Ghadayer and he cemented that partnership with a win in the finale on Tolmount.
The seven-year-old looked beaten when challenged by Maputo inside the final furlong but stuck his neck out admirably for a fourth career success.
Lion Roars for Bin Harmash
Lion’s Mane was held in high regard by trainer Ahmad Bin Harmash last season, winning once, and he came good on his first start of this one. Breaking well under Connor Beasley he took over the lead from Book Review turning for home and extended away well to beat Lahresh by two and half lengths.
“The boss and the team have done a great job,” said Beasley. “He won for us last year but it just shows, when they have one season here and a summer it can really make a difference – he gave me a good feel.
“I didn’t want to go too early as I know he stays further, so I didn’t want to be a sitting duck.”
The opening Purebred Arabian Handicap, over 1400metres, produced a great battle when neither Muthabir or Kanaille Du Faust wanted to give an inch. In the end, the latter prevailed under jockey Sandro Paiva, giving Al Ain-based trainer Adil Mouchahi his first Meydan winner.
A fabulous evening of racing ended a superb week to celebrate the launch of the Carnival, which began on Tuesday when Daman Markets by Daman Securities partnered with Dubai Racing Club to host a glittering Season Launch Party in the Parade Ring at Meydan Racecourse.
- The Carnival resumes on Friday 22 November.
