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'
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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
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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