Seven more races at the UAE’s marquee venue, highlighted by a good opportunity for the dirt speedsters courtesy of the Al Garhoud Sprint, a 1200m dash with Listed status. The race was won 12 months ago by Switzerland, subsequently victorious in the Group 1 Golden Shaheen over the same course and distance on the Dubai World Cup card.
The weights are headed by Al Tariq, part of a strong contingent for Doug Watson but penalised for his success, over track and trip, in January’s Group 3 Dubawi Stakes. The 6yo gelded son of Oasis Dream also won the 2021 Listed Jebel Ali Sprint and is seeking a sixth career success and fifth in the UAE.
Watson also saddles Shadwell’s Canvassed, a dual course and distance winner for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, including the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal on Super Saturday 2021. He stays further and will be hoping for a strong pace to aim at, something the presence of Al Tariq makes a distinct possibility.
Shadwell are well represented with Musabbeh Al Mheiri saddling both Raaeb and Mutaraffa, the owner’s retained jockey Dane O’Neill, seemingly faced with a tough decision, opting to partner the former. Bhupat Seemar saddled Switzerland to victory 12 months ago and relies on Tuz and Freedom Fighter, the latter hoping to reverse form with Al Tariq behind whom he was runner-up in the aforementioned Dubawi Stakes.
That was his local debut. Tuz, meanwhile, is arguably better known for his exploits over further, including finishing second in the 1900m Al Bastakiya on Super Saturday 2020. He was third on Super Saturday 2022, over 1600m, in the Group 3 Burj Nahaar, finishing one place and less than a length behind Mubakker and repeating his finishing position in the same race of 2021.
Upper Class turned a handicap over this dirt 1200m into a romp on his seasonal return five weeks ago, his final start for Antonio Cintra Pereira whose former assistant Julio Olascoaga has taken over the licence at Green Stables where their team is based. Michael Costa is still seeking a first Meydan winner from his Jebel Ali Stables base, and relies on Mouheeb, winner of the 1600m Group 2 UAE 2000 Guineas in February 2021 and who returned to winning ways, on his first start for his new trainer, in a 1200m handicap, at Jebel Ali on his only start to date for his new handler.
From just 17 Meydan runners, Costa has saddled five to finish second, as well as a third, fourth and fifth so is surely due a change of luck on his forays from Jebel Ali. The main support race, the Mirdif Stakes, is a fascinating 1400m conditions race in which Olascoaga’s Long Kiss, a 3yo foaled in the southern hemisphere, will attempt to concede weight all round with the opposition consisting of 2yos foaled in the USA or Europe.
Seemar was responsible for seven entries, undoubtedly having plenty of juvenile ammunition at his disposal, declaring Sadik and Good Time Gal. Costa’s Seyouff, like Mouheeb representing Jebel Ali Racecourse patron Sheikh Ahmed, was a very promising second on his sole start, over this Meydan 1400m, and looked the type to build on that.
SELECTIONS
Race 1: Fakhr
Race 2: Sari Dubai
Race 3: Down On Da Bayou
Race 4: Arabian Gazelles (Nap)
Race 5: Mouheeb
Race 6: Seyouff
Race 7: Tapitutaion
