Meydan’s Sword of Honour racenight produced a battle worthy of the name when Poker Face edged out Holloway Boy in the featured Gr2 Zabeel Mile (sponsored by Phi Advertising).
Poker Face (Pat Dobbs) edges out Holloway Boy (Danny Tudhope) to win the Zabeel Mile (Pic – DRC)
The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained six-year-old was having his first Meydan run and was also ridden for the first time by Pat Dobbs, who timed his challenge impeccably. Racing in mid-division for much of the race, Dobbs was able to squeeze through a small gap and produce Poker Face right on the line to deny British raider Holloway Boy by a nose.
“I thought I was beaten! “said Dobbs. “I said well done to Danny Tudhope on Holloway Boy pulling up, so that’s a nice surprise.
“We got racing from three [furlongs, 600m] out and I had a lovely position to keep things smooth with him. I got in behind William Buick, on Noble Dynasty halfway down the back and I was happy with where I was then. I thought a furlong out we’d pick up William and then I saw Danny on the other side was probably half a length in front of me.
“This horse has improved as a six-year-old.”
Tuz Does Tuz Things
Tuz has become one of the leading lights of UAE racing and the sprinting superstar racked up his third win in a row in the Gr3 Dubawi Stakes (sponsored by Binghatti Developers) – becoming just the second horse to win it twice, after Reynaldothewizard.
Ridden by Tadhg O’Shea for whom it was a remarkable 800th UAE winner, Tuz perhaps had to work a little harder to beat Colour Up than in December’s Al Garhoud Sprint, but the result was the same; but a five-length victory instead of a six-length one.
“He’s a special horse, a great horse for the barn,” said O’Shea. “It’s a great privilege to be able to steer him around for my 800th winner. I remember winning my 700th in this very same race on Switzerland.
“I had one slightly anxious moment going to the start when he saw something and slammed on his brakes but thankfully I stayed on.”
Poet Writes International Script
International success came in the very last race on the card, the 2810m Zoho Conditions Stakes, when Epic Poet gave UK-based trainer David O’Meara a sixth Dubai winner.
The victory may have made up for Tudhope’s earlier narrow defeat on Holloway Boy as this time he was able to hold on, hitting the front 200metres out and having just enough left to hold off the fast-finishing King Of Conquest and Keffaaf.
“He was a bit fresh tonight which isn’t him,” said Tudhope. “But the race panned out nicely and he got the job done.
“The plan will probably be to go to Saudi for the two-mile race, Red Sea Turf Handicap.”
One of the most impressive handicap winners on the card was Asaassi who showed his rivals daylight in the opening Zabeel Turf (sponsored by Daman Markets).
Ridden by Ray Dawson, the Michael Costa trainee survived both a bump at the start and racing keenly, but still had plenty of energy when leading from 400metres out. He beat the Godolphin pair of El Cordobes and Endless Victory by two lengths and the same, taking his career stats to four from 11.
The race may have looked tricky for Dawson, but he didn’t think so, saying: “You never get a race to go as smooth as that! It was perfect, especially from that draw [12].
“I was just hoping to get mid-division and luckily enough I was tracking Will Buick and my horse had plenty of gears and a lot of class.”
Bin Harmash and Beasley at the Double
It was another good night for the consistent Ahmad Bin Harmash team, who celebrated a quick double, initiated when Rasas won the Sword Of Excellence Stakes (sponsored by Zoho), over 1200m.
The four-year-old was having just his third start on turf under Connor Beasley and was always up with the pace, sticking his neck out for a dour length win over the closing Bombay Bazaaar and Topper Bill.
“His result here over 1000m was a massive run and the boss found the right race there today,” said Beasley. “He had no weight on his back and was gutsy all the way to the line.”
The Bin Harmash team have always been adept with juveniles and collected the second leg of their double with Golden Vekoma, who won the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (sponsored by Kentucky Derby).
The son of Vekoma paid a handsome compliment to the absent Heart Of Honour, who beat him into third last time, with a smooth win here. He hit the lead off the home bend and never looked like being caught, crossing the line two and a quarter lengths ahead of Nimble Boy.
“He’s got everything – the class the looks,” said Beasley. “I was delighted when I was drawn wide [12] as 1400metres is sharp enough for him.
“The key to him is that he was in a rhythm all the way tonight and going the mile or even further will be no problem.”
It’s rare that a Meydan card containing turf races goes by without a Charlie Appleby winner, but he left it late this time, striking in the penultimate Jumeirah Stakes (sponsored by The Jockey Club).
The winner, however, looked to be his second string as William Buick was booked on the better fancied Hallasan. But it was Age Of Gold and Richie Mullen who emerged on top, striking slightly wide to reel in long time leader The Fingal Raven and holding off Hallasan by a length and a quarter.
“On their homework Will’s horse had the measure of him, but sometimes they don’t show it on the track,” said Mullen. “He was freshened up out here. He’s a small horse and probably his early form will be his best.
“I wanted to keep it as uncomplicated as I could without going too wide.”
His exciting filly Arigatou Gozaimasou could only manage eighth against the colts in the Guineas Trial, but Salem Bin Ghadayer still collected a winner when Crown Estate won the Sword Of Honour Stakes (sponsored by Daman Markets) on his UAE debut.
The appropriately-named Dubawi gelding was bred by the late Queen of England and took to the dirt beautifully here, coming with a sustained run to beat stablemate Made In Dubai by a length.
The win may have been a surprise to some, but not to jockey Xavier Ziani, who said: “I think I was just lucky as last week the gallop didn’t go according to plan so Bernardo Pinheiro, stable jockey, chose the other one, Made In Dubai.
“He’s a good purchase from the October Tattersalls Sale. When you have a son of Dubawi and you put him on the sand, he’s a different horse.”
Meydan races again next Friday, when the Lord North Handicap is the feature race.
