The Listed Dubai Creek Mile, obviously over 1600m, is the undoubted highlight on a fascinating card. Inaugurated in 2013, Surfer won the first two editions but remains the sole dual winner, a statistic 2020 victor Thegreatcollection will be hoping to rectify this year.
Trained by Doug Watson, the 8yo gelded son of Saint Anddan has been a great servant to connections, winning five times since arriving from his (and his trainer’s) native USA. He opened his local account in November 2017 but has not added to his success in this race two years ago.
That said, he has produced some mighty efforts in defeat, including when runner-up in both the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 and R2 in 2021. Throw in a fourth place finish in the Group 1 R3 that year, enough to earn him an invitation to that year’s Dubai World Cup, he has provided his many fans a lot of pleasure.
His running style of ‘struggling to keep up before finishing fast’ has always seemingly endeared him to the public and he is also a Jebel Ali winner. Watson also saddles Golden Goal, penalised for his January victory in the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 over this same 1600m. Runner-up in the 2021 Group 2 Godolphin Mile, a race in which he was well beaten last season, the 8yo Dark Angel gelding set a new 1400m track record winning a handicap on the opening card of the 2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival, a time yet to be bettered.
Watson also saddles Everfast and Prince Elji to give him four realistic chances in a wide open heat. A ‘local’ (as opposed to international) top flight winner in his native Uruguay but escaping a penalty as that was in January 2021 (EDITOR: and as a ‘local’ grading probably not eligible to merit an extra burden within race conditions), over 2400m, Atletico El Culano falls into the ‘potential fly in the ointment, could be anything category’. A first UAE runner for Julio Olascoaga, the 6yo entire finished his 2022 campaign in South America with victory in a 2000m conditions race at the beginning of June.
The trip would appear on the short stride but you would imagine connections are viewing this as a steppiang stone to objectives over further at the 2023 carnival. Salem bin Ghadayer entered 2021 UAE Derby winner Panadol, 2020 UAE Oaks heroine Down On Da Bayou, not to mention Sultan Ali’s Capezzano who defeated subsequent dual Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow (also 2018 DWC winner), over the same 2000m, in the 2019 Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 on Super Saturday.
Prior to that, his previous two victories were in handicaps over this 1600m, chased home by Thegreatcollection both times and he is the sole representative for the Bin Ghadayer team. If a quality renewal was not already intriguing enough Kafoo, the only horse entered by Champion Trainer Bhupat Seemar, adds another dimension to the contest which it appears is being targeted as a prep for the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1.
Seemar’s charge, a Curlin colt, debuted as a 3yo in the middle of November last year and then followed up a month later. He was then raised steeply in class, finishing third to Golden Goal in R1, disappointing in R2 having become unsettled in the stalls and finishing his campaign when fourth, albeit beaten by more than seven lengths, in the 2000m Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3.
Throughout his career thus far he has always appeared a colt with the scope to progress and this could be an exciting season for his connections. With Musabbeh Al Mheiri and Antonio Fresu in red hot form, their Military Law, who beat Thegreatcollection in the 2021 Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 merits a mention but he has been off since finishing well beaten in the Saudi Cup a month later.
SELECTIONS
Race 1: Colour Up
Race 2: Habooba
Race 3: Magic Petition (NB)
Race 4: El Baareq
Race 5: Kafoo (Nap)
Race 6: Bendoog
Race 7: Axopar
