Racing Weekly Issue 10

ISSUE 10 3 JANUARY 2019

YOUR RACING DESTINATION

MICHAEL KENT JNR

RUSTANG WINS

DARREN BUNYAN

IMPRESSIVE FILLY MAY BE UAE OAKS-BOUND

THE LATE ABDULLA NASS CUP

HOPING HIS STABLE STAR CAN BE A 'HIT'

Celebrating the achievements of the industry from all over the world, we are

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D. Rashed Managing Editor info@racing-weekly.com

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MICHAEL KENT JNR IMPRESSIVE FILLY MAY BE UAE OAKSBOUND

GODOLPHIN SHOW OF STRENGTH FOR FIRST DUBAI WORLD CUP CARNIVAL MEETING

JEBEL ALI ROCKET POWER CONTINUES MASTERY OF COURSE IN JEBEL ALI MILE PREP

BAHRAIN RUSTANG CLAIMS THE LATE ABDULLA NASS CUP FOR ALADIYAT RACING

SHARJAH MYSTIQUE MOON SETS SUN ON 2018 AT SHARJAH

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IMPRESSIVE FILLY MAY BE UAE OAKS-BOUND RACING.COM MATT WELSH Amanikan turned plenty of heads with her

She clocked 44.83 secs for the final 800m and a

dominant, last-to-first victory in the opening race

slick 22.83 secs for her last 400m. The way she

at Sandown on Wednesday, a victory that could

responded to riding after looking in strife at the

see her bound for Dubai.

top of the straight certainly suggests she will be better suited over more ground.

Owned by Gilgai Farm, the daughter of Sebring will target the 1900m UAE Oaks to be run on dirt at

Post-race trainer Michael Kent stated, “she’s a very

Meydan Racecourse on Thursday, February 21.

big filly and she’s just slow-moving early.

Amanikan was first-up over 1300m at Sandown

“She’s always shown me enough, she’s got a big

having finished midfield in a strong maiden on a

tank and we hope she will get out over a trip.

heavy track at her Geelong debut back in June.

“She’s a very strong and robust filly…she’s out of a She looked to be in trouble at the tail of the field as

Savabeel mare by Sebring so you’d hope that she

they reached the 400m mark but the long-striding

will get out to ten furlongs.”

chestnut worked through her gears over the final two furlongs to overpower her rivals.

Michael Kent Jnr confirmed on Wednesday

three-year-old Ridgewood Drive emerged as a

afternoon that the UAE Oaks is an option for

Derby contender with a strong maiden win over

Amanikan.

1500m.

“She’s going to be entered, and the UAE Oaks is

Assistant trainer Sam Freedman praised the

certainly on the cards, along with the other major

maturing gelding and suggested he could follow in

Oaks races in the Autumn," he said.

the foosteps of his Group 1-winning sibling Sonntag and be aimed at the Queensland Derby

“She’s got that kind of action where she’d

(2400m) in June.

appreciate the dirt racing and that type of stamina test. “We think the race will suit her.”

"He's come a really long way this horse, it wasn't

Amanikan is a daughter of My Emotion who Gilgai

looking promising as a colt early on but the gelding

also raced with Mick Kent. She was herself a very

has really been the making of him and the longer

handy mare who won the Group 3 Thoroughbred

he's been in work, the better he's been getting,"

Breeders Stakes at Flemington on debut.

Freedman said.

And less than an hour after Amanikan's head-

"We'll look to get him out in trip even further and

turning win, Anthony Freedman's progressive

we should see even more improvement."

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GODOLPHIN'S SHOW OF STRENGTH FOR FIRST DUBAI WORLD CUP CARNIVAL MEETING THE NATIONAL Buoyed by their success in 2018, Godolphin have

Who can also forget how Thunder Snow, trained

entered 16 horses for the first Dubai World Cup

by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by Christophe

Carnival meeting at Meydan Racecourse on

Soumillon, stormed to victory in the Dubai World

Thursday.

Cup.

The Dubai-based racing operation of Sheikh

Godolphin have already begun their 2019 campaign

Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of

with victories for Etymology and Tin Hat over

Dubai, racked up a record 30 Group 1 prizes

back-to-back days in Australia, and Meydan is

globally and reached the 5,000-winner milestone

likely to provide more winners this week given

last year.

their show of strength ahead of the first of 10 Carnival meetings.

They fulfilled a long-held ambition of winning the Epsom Derby when trainer Charlie Appleby and

They have six runners in the fifth race alone - the

jockey William Buick guided Masar to victory in the

Group 3 Singspiel Stakes - with three horses

Royal Blue silks. Cross Counter’s triumph in the

saddled by Bin Suroor and Appleby each.

Melbourne Cup after 30 years of trying was another first.

On the jockey bookings and the cap colours,Â

Dream Castle with Soumillon atop appears to be

But they are likely to be wary of Deauville, winner

heading the challenge.

of the 2016 Group 1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes who has placed in some of the top turf

The Frankel gelding has not raced after his four

races in the world, including the Arlington Million,

starts in the Carnival season. His best effort was a

Irish Champion Stakes and Queen Anne Stakes.

third-place finish behind Jungle Cat, another Godolphin runner, over the sprint distance of 1,200

The six year old by Galileo is rated the highest - at

metres.

115 - in the 16-runner field for new owners.

Dream Castle is tackling the 1,800m distance for

“He is an exciting acquisition and we are delighted

the first time and his biggest challenge may come

to have him,” Deauville's trainer Fawzi Nass said of

from the Appleby-trained Key Victory under James

the purchase out of the Ballydoyle Stables. “He is

Doyle. That being said, any of Godolphin's runners

going to benefit for the run, but we hope he is

is capable of victory.

going to have a good Carnival.”

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ROCKET POWER CONTINUES MASTERY OF COURSE IN JEBEL ALI MILE PREP ERA Friday’s penultimate 2018 race meeting in the UAE

were getting weight today and will not in the Jebel Ali

was held at Jebel Ali and was highlighted by the Jebel

Mile itself but in this kind of form he should be

Ali Mile Prep over said distance, which was won in

competitive in what will undoubtedly be a stronger

thrilling fashion by Rocket Power after a thrilling

field.”

battle over the final 100m between said eventual victor and the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al

Al Basti-owned Doug Watson trainee Tried and True

Maktoum-owned duo of Zainhom and Takatul.

who was always travelling particularly well for his jockey, Pat Dobbs, who looked confident throughout

Owned by Mohd Khalifa Al Basti and trained by

the 1950m handicap. Having won his seasonal debut,

Ahmad bin Harmash, Rocket Power has one won all

over 2000m at Meydan under Dobbs in November, he

three Jebel Ali starts this season after two lacklustre

then disappointed a month later over the same

appearances at Meydan in November. Connor

course and distance with Sam Hitchcott in the

Beasley was in the saddle.

saddle. That was three weeks ago and he bounced back in style here to the delight of his trainer who

“This horse is just in a great rich vein of form and

said.

loving it here at Jebel Ali, where that hill really suits him,” Beasley said. “He just travels so well and today I

“That win at Meydan was his first outing since April

had to wait for an opportunity to get out, but I was a

and probably took more out of him than we realised

bit worried for a while that a gap would not appear

at the time so we freshened him up with this race in

but once it did he really picked up well. Obviously we

mind,” Watson said. “We were actually pretty

confident he would be hard to beat and he is a great

thought the extra distance would suit him. If you look

horse to have in the yard because he always tries his

back, he won over 2000m in France and has been

best.”

placed over 1950m at Jebel Ali so is basically a very versatile horse.”

Trained by Sandeep Jadhav, placed Galles may have been denied by Tried and True, but the conditioner

Despite drifting dramatically across the track to the

did not have to wait long to visit the winner’s

nearside rail, Pinter and Antonio Fresu always looked

enclosure with jockey Royston Ffrench and Untold

like landing the 1400m handicap after hitting the

Secret, posting a comfortable success in the

front 300m out, before taking their unorthodox route

following 1800m handicap.

home and, in doing so, providing trainer Erwan Charpy a belated but well deserved first winner of the

Jadhav said: “He is such a nice horse, a really popular

season.

one in the yard and one who always gives his best. He is normally in the money and rarely disappoints us.

“We needed a winner and these are this horse’s

He won over 1600m at Meydan in November but then

optimum conditions,” Charpy said. “We were pretty

stayed on strongly here at Jebel Ali, over 1600m and

hopeful and it is great to get one on the board before

again last time over that trip at Meydan so we

2019.”

Fresu added: “He is not the easiest horse to ride so

confidently by South African Sherman Brown, opening

I was happy to let him drift across and, once on

his account for the campaign on just his fourth ride

the rail, he ran on very strongly. The horses have

since joining owner-trainer Rashed Bouresly’s yard in

been running well and I am delighted for Erwan

Ras Al Khaimah.

and the whole team to get this winner.”

A delighted Brown said: “I only arrived last Wednesday and things have been going very well with the horses

Partnered by Emirati apprentice Saeed Al

performing nicely on the track. There are some nice

Mazrooei, local and dirt debutant, Manguzi, was

horses in the yard. Spirit of Scotland has won that quite

never far off the pace in a 1400m maiden before

nicely and, being a big horse, can hopefully improve.”

producing a virtual carbon copy of Pinter’s winning effort by, having skipped clear 400m from

The final race of 2018 at Jebel Ali, a 1200m handicap,

home, drifting right across to the nearside rail.

was appropriately won by the ‘home team’ with Chris

Trained by Ali Rashid Al Rayhi for Ahmed Al

Hayes driving home Call to War, trained on the track by

Shaikh, the winner is a 2-year-old, one of two

Nicholas Bachalard for racecourse patron His Highness

juvenile colts among the 16 runners in the race, by

Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Beaten in a

Planteur and joins a very small group of

photograph over the same course and distance a month

youngsters to have won at Jebel Ali.

ago, the 4-year-old gelded son of High Cotton was doubling his local tally having won over 1200m at

Al Rayhi said: “That was a very pleasing

Meydan in March and also won once in the US, on his

performance and gives us plenty of options with

debut as a juvenile. That was in June 2016 over 1000m

the horse who had been working nicely so we were

at Gulfstream Park.

quite hopeful.”

“He deserved that having been just denied last time,” The opening 1950m maiden was won fairly

Bachalard said. “That is the perfect end to our year to

comfortably by Spirit of Scotland, ridden

win with our last runner of 2018.”

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RUSTANG CLAIMS THE LATE ABDULLA NASS CUP FOR ALADIYAT RACING

edged out Bartack by a nose in another

GULF DAILY NEWS

Lugano fourth.

thriller to claim the Late Abdulla Ahmed Nass Cup, sponsored by Nass Group, carrying a cash prize of BD2,500 Ostaad was third and

SHIPYARD scored the biggest victory at yesterday’s horse racing at Rashid Equestrian

Owners Victorious, trainer Alan Smith and

and Horse Racing Club in Sakhir.

jockey Gerald Mosse continued their victory streak with News Breaker as the favourite

In a thrilling race for the Nass Corporation

beat Milyar by three-fourth-length to claim

Cup for imported horses, carrying a cash

the Applied Science University Cup for locally

prize of BD4,000, jockey Robert Tart steered

bred horses carrying a cash prize of

outsider Shipyard, owned by Ramadhan

BD2,000 Good News finished third and

Stable, to victory by a neck over Dark Power

Gharaieb fourth.

another neck behind in third was Inclination while Northern Thunder finished fourth.

Suspeck Package, owned by Victorious, trained by Alan Smith and ridden by Gerald.

Rustang, owned by Al Adiyat Racing, trained

Al Hamdany 1697, owned by Safra, trained by

by Alan Smith and ridden by Gerald Mose,

Alan Smith and ridden by Gerald Mose, beat

Kuheilaan Aafas 1695 by three-fourth-length

Cup carrying a cash prize of BD2,000

to win the Late Abdulla Ahmed Nass Cup,

Nodisasgoodaswink was third and

sponsored by Sarens Nass Middle East,

Mohaayedah fourth.

carrying a cash prize of BD2,000 Al Saqlawy 1578 was third and Kuheilan Aafas 1640

Blue Fern, owned by Victorious, trained by

fourth.

Alan Smith and ridden by Gerald Mosse, followed suit beating Mayyas by a short head

Blue Angel, owned by Victorious, trained by

to win the Gulf City Cleaning Company Cup

Alan Smith and ridden by Gerald Mosse,

for locally bred horses carrying a cash prize

began the day’s action on a winning note by

of BD2,000 Blues Guitar was third and

beating Waridat by one-and-three-fourth-

Mirsaal fourth.

length to win the McDermott-Nass

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MYSTIQUE MOON SETS SUN ON 2018 AT SHARJAH

The former, the choice of stable jockey Pat Dobbs,

ERA

his mount to challenge and overpower his yard-

Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club (SERC) staged

mate en route to a well-deserved victory. Twice a

the final UAE race meeting of 2018 on Saturday

winner on the all-weather in Britain for Godolphin

afternoon, highlighted by the second running of

and Charlie Appleby, the 4-year-old gelded son of

the AED 200,000 HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al

Kyllachy now sports the colours of Mohd Khalifa Al

Maktoum Cup over 1700m. The lone Thoroughbred

Basti. It was the middle leg of a treble for Hitchcott

contest (handicap) on the six-race card was

who, like Dobbs, is based with Watson.

was well away from stall one and sent straight to the lead, while Sam Hitchcott settled the eventual winner in third on the rail, tracking his stable companion. Both jockeys were sat motionless until entering the 300m straight, when Hitchcott asked

dominated by trainer Doug Watson, whose pair of pupils—Pillar of Society and Mystique Moon—had

“Doug and the team at Red Stables have the horses

the race between themselves throughout the final

in great form and we thought we had two good

250m.

chances,” Hitchcott said. “It was a bit tight on the

NOMADIC

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rail for a moment, but once in the clear, he picked

Ffrench and Inayat W’Rsan had made smooth

up nicely and that was a good performance in a

progress to stalk them into the bend, while Hareer

decent race.”

Al Reef started to make relentless headway under Gerald Avranche.

The inaugural HH The Crown Prince of Sharjah Cup (Prestige), a 1200m sprint, looked a straightforward

Ultimately, Al Ajban Stables’ Abdalla Al Hammadi-

opportunity on paper for ES Ajeeb and so it proved.

trained Hareer Al Reef’s rally proved too powerful

Under Hitchcott, the Purebred Arabian’s success

for all.

was never in doubt with a much-the-best victory. A homebred of Sheikh Abdulla bin Majid Al Qassemi,

“He ran very well when staying on over 1600m at

SERC chairman, the 4-year-old is trained on the

Jebel Ali two weeks ago,” Al Hammadi said. “We

track by Ibrahim Aseel, thus providing an ideal end

were very hopeful the return to 2000m would help

to the year at their local course with the winner

him and he stays the trip well.”

very well received and given a memorable reception.

Connections wasted no time completing a double, combining to land the following 1700m maiden with

Hitchcott said: “He has so much speed for an

Kanz Al Reef, who overcame a tardy break under

Arabian and is a very good sprinter on a dirt

Avranche to sweep to the front at the top of the

surface, particularly. Sadly, there are few options

short straight; never looking in any danger of

for him, so this race was a welcome new addition,

defeat.

especially on his home track.”

“We were pretty confident Hareer Al Reef would Earlier, fifteen contested a 1200m maiden, but very

run well back over 2000m and he stayed on

few were ever able to get involved and Ziad

strongly,” Avranche said. “Abdallah and his team

Galadari’s Ashton Tourettes proved far too good for

have the horses in good form, which bodes well for

the remainder, running out a very easy winner for

2019.”

Hitchcott and Aseel.

The opening 1200m handicap was won in “He showed plenty of pace at Al Ain, so we were

determined fashion by AZ Dhabyan, who was always

hopeful the shorter trip would suit him,” Aseel said.

prominent under apprentice Adam McLean before

“I am delighted to have a winner for Mr Galadari,

the pair committed for home 300m out. McLean,

who has very kindly sent us a few nice horses this

riding his first winner of the season, found he had a

season. Hopefully, this horse can build on this now

willing partner and they stayed on well to win well

he has that first victory and with the extra

for owner-trainer Saleha Al Ghurair.

experience.”

“He had finished second on the Abu Dhabi turf in A 2000m conditions contest produced a dramatic

the past and has shown plenty of speed today,”

conclusion with the lead twice changing hands in

McLean said. “I was always travelling strongly and

the final 100m. Jockey Richard Mullen and AF

once in front he was not stopping; running strongly

Taraha had taken up the running fully 1000m from

to the line. It is great to finish 2018 with a winner

home and had most of their rivals beaten when

and I am obviously grateful for this winning

leaving the back straight. However, Royston NOMADIC

opportunity.” |

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FACTS AND FIGURES TO NOTE FOR THIS YEAR'S DUBAI CARNIVAL RACING POST

Round One moves the other way - Two additional races for three-year-olds, both over 1m1½f, the Meydan Trophy and Al Bastakiya Trial as preps for middle leg of UAE Triple Crown - UAE 2,000 Guineas Trial now over a mile rather than 7f - Minimum handicap value raised to $135,000 from $125,000

The Dubai World Cup Carnival starts on Thursday at Meydan – here Jason Ford brings you up to

Jockey jiggles

speed with all the goings-on - Christophe Soumillon no longer retained by Racing revisions

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and now operating as a freelance

- Carnival prize-money boosted by 12% to a total of

- Ben Curtis is now stable jockey to Musabbeh Al

$12,670,000

Mheiri, replacing Fernando Jara, who is now based

- Now six-race cards as opposed to seven, plus a

with Ali Rashid Al Rayhi alongside Ronan Whelan

‘non-carnival race’

- Nicholas Bachalard is new resident trainer at

- Thursday’s Dubawi Stakes has been moved

Sheikh Ahmed’s Jebel Ali Stables; Chris Hayes, after

forward a week, while the Al Maktoum Challenge

a season off, returns as stable jockey NOMADIC

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- Billy Lee is now stable jockey for Helal Al Alawi, who is

Satish Seemar alongside stable jockey Richard Mullen

starting to make his presence felt in thoroughbred

- Hayley Turner is one of many jockeys registered with

circles having been successful with Purebred Arabians

Saeed Bin Suroor at Al Quoz

- William Buick suspended for first four carnival

- Darryll Holland rode in the UAE for the first time since

meetings

2008 last Saturday and is in action on Thursday

- Connor Beasley, who is enjoying a great UAE season, is

- On Thursday UAE regulars Mickael Barzalona, Jim

stable jockey for Ahmad Bin Harmash

Crowley, James Doyle and Soumillon are all riding

- UAE champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea is now based withÂ

locally for first time this season

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BUNYAN HOPING HIS STABLE STAR CAN BE A 'HIT' IN DUBAI SPRINT INDEPENDENT.IE

Dubai favourite Ertijaal on his first start of last year's Carnival and went one better in another valuable handicap at the track in February.

The five-year-old did not manage to win on turf after returning home during the summer, but ran well in a Listed contest at Tipperary and the Flying Five at the Curragh before

Darren Bunyan's Hit The Bid and Freescape

finishing down the field in the Prix de l'Abbaye

from the David Marnane yard carry the Irish

at Longchamp.

hopes on the opening night of the Dubai Carnival at Meydan.

Hit The Bid was last seen winning the Group

The former was narrowly beaten by the late

Three Mercury Stakes on the all-weather at

Dundalk in October and is reported to be thriving

with 2/5 hotpot Sebastopol a half-length back in

ahead of his return in the Longines Ladies Record

third.‘Rocky’ on road to Leopardstown again

Collection Handicap over five furlongs.

Rocky Blue is likely to return to Leopardstown next "He's in great shape and we're very much looking

month following his high-profile victory at the track

forward to running him," Bunyan said. "He loved it out

over the festive period, according to trainer Tom

here (in Dubai) last year and really learned to race

Mullins.

properly. He came out here a boy and went home a man."

Having finished second on his hurdling debut at Punchestown, the four-year-old went one better when

Apart from Marnane's Feescape, Hit The Bid's rivals

causing a minor upset in the Grade Two Knight Frank

include Paul Midgley's British raider Orvar in what is a

Juvenile Hurdle, albeit profiting from the final-flight fall

competitive sprint.

of Coeur Sublime.

There is plenty of English interest across the card, with

“We were thrilled with him. The other horse falling

Godolphin trainers Charlie Appleby and Saeed bin

obviously helped us, but our horse did it well,” said

Suroor well represented. Simon Crisford is triple-

Mullins. “The Spring Juvenile Hurdle in Leopardstown is

handed in the UAE 1,000 Guineas Trial with Ghost

his big target and I’d say he’ll go straight there.

Queen, Starry Eyes and Turn 'n Twirl.

“He was getting the hang of things on the Flat – he won Elsewhere, Gordon Elliott enjoyed a successful raid on

by eight lengths on his last run. The owner was keen to

Ayr yesterday when his Whoshotthesheriff landed the

go hurdling so we said we’d stop on the Flat for now,

novice hurdle in the hands of Sean Quinlan, the

but he could go back at some stage.”

6/1 shot seeing off Dali Mail by two and a half lengths