The Listed Garhoud Sprint is a tried and tested route to Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen stardom and 11 horses have this as a potential target on Friday.
The 1200metre dirt dash, sponsored by Azizi, takes place as race six on the nine-race extravaganza which is night three of the Dubai Racing Carnival.
Friday’s nine-race extravaganza attracts powerful contenders (Pic – Dubai Racing Club)
Switzerland took this race in 2022 en-route to Golden Shaheen glory and this time it is Colour Up (pictured) who looks a leading contender to run in both races. Trained by Doug Watson for owner Sayed Hashish, the five-year-old returns for the first time since running fourth in the Gr3 Mahab Al Shimaal on Super Saturday.
“He went from strength to strength last season,” said the eight-time Champion Trainer. “We thought he might get in on World Cup night, which didn’t work out, but it might have been a blessing in disguise.
“I think he would have run well there; I don’t know if he’d have won, but he’s strengthened up over the summer and he’s looking great.”
Switzerland’s trainer Bhupat Seemar fields three: Bay Of Honour, Freedom Fighter and Leading Spirit, a winner over course and distance last time out.
“Bay Of Honour was unfortunate. I think he just took a misstep at Jebel Ali as he was completely sound after the race,” he said. “I think he will appreciate a flat track anyway.”
Of Leading Spirit, he added: “He’s been with us since he was a two-year-old and he was just touched off on Super Saturday, when we ran one-two in the Mahab Al Shimaal with Wafy. Touch Gold Racing bought him and he’s won for them on turf, dirt, he’s been a good bargain.”
Michael Costa, this year’s leading trainer with 14 wins, runs local debutante Saleymm, a four-time winner in the UK for Simon and Ed Crisford.
“Saleymm arrived last year and took a season to settle in, but his work at home has been well above average,” he said. “He’s had a couple of spins around Meydan on the dirt and seems to handle it well.”
The Azizi Venice Handicap, race seven, is worth AED210,000 and has attracted a smart bunch over the 1900metres.
Among them are two for Julio Olascoaga: Ajuste Fiscal, a Gr1 winner in South America, and Kafoo, a dual course winner when in the care of Seemar.
“Ajuste Fiscal won over course and distance last season and likes the Meydan track,” he said. “He’s been training well and should improve from his last run which was only a prep run over a mile.
“Kafoo was scratched last time due to a temperature, but he’s OK now, been training well and his last workout was very impressive.”
Olascoaga runs three in the 1400metre Azizi Riviera Handicap, race five, with Fight Zone the pick of stable jockey Jose Da Silva.
“He’s a very special horse, a very nice mover,” he said of the five-year-old. “He came back from a long time without running and we think he ran a very good race. He should improve for that.”
Multiple Gr1-winning jockey James Doyle flies in for a strong book of five rides, including Olascoaga’s Dessman, fourth last time over 1200metres.
“We’ve worked a lot with starter Shane Ryan and the team with him and he behaved very well in the gates last time,” said the trainer. “1400m will also suit him better than six.”
The card’s sole Group race is the opening Gr2 Madjani Stakes (Presented by Azizi), featuring some of the best Arabians in the country. One of them is Fawzi Nass’s RB Rich Lyke Me, who faces 13 rivals, including 2021 Dubai Kahayla Classic winner Deryan and his own talented stablemate, Hiab Al Zaman. Jugurtha De Monlau, winner of Gr1 Maktoum Challenge R3 here over 2000metres is another likely to feature in a pulsating renewal.
Classic aspirants are on show in the two-year-olds’ Mina By Azizi, race four, over 1600metres. Nine-time Dubai World Cup winning trainer Saeed Bin Suroor sends out Nzeeh and Soldier’s Secret, both untried on dirt, while Seemar fields Killer Collect, third last time behind El Nasseeb over 1200metres.
“Killer Collect was only just beaten last time,” said the trainer. “We’re looking forward to seeing how he gets on over a mile.”
The penultimate race is the Azizi Reve Handicap, also over 1600metres, which looks an open event. Up and coming Emirati trainer Mohammed Mardood sends out Solar Science, who tries dirt for the first time.
“He worked on dirt beautifully with stablemate, I’ll Stand Taller and showed us a capability of handling it,” he said. “It’s just the environment of being in a race on it, that’s what we’re going to find out on Friday.”
Racing begins at 15h30.
