ISSUE 6 • 7 DECEMBER 2018
YOUR RACING DESTINATION
MENDELSSOHN RETIRED TO STAND AT ASHFORD STUD
DRAFTED WINS THE THRILLING GARHOUD SPRINT
RIO TIGRE BANKS JEBEL ALI FEATURE
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SHAIKH HAMDAN BIN RASHID SPRINTERS TO THE FORE AT MEYDAN
MEYDAN GARHOUD SPRINT DRAFTED DENIES IBN MALIK IN THRILLING GARHOUD SPRINT
BAHRAIN BAPCO CUP BALTIC KNIGHT WINS BAPCO CUP IN STUNNING FASHION
JEBEL ALI SHADWELL CUP RIO TIGRE BANKS JEBEL ALI FEATURE; BIN HARMASH LANDS TREBLE
WORLD CUP 2019 Meydan Group Announces 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnvial Accepted Invitees
SPRINTERS TO THE FORE AT MEYDAN HAMDAN-OWNED HORSES HAVE IMPRESSIVE RECORD IN RACE THAT POINTS TO DUBAI GOLDEN SHAHEEN GULF NEWS Dubai: Meydan Racecourse hosts the first notable
The race is an early pointer to the major sprint
‘blink and you’ll miss it’ contest in the form of the
contests leading up to the Golden Shaheen and has
Listed Garhoud Sprint, sponsored by Al Tayer
understandably attracted some high-quality
Motors, the feature race of an interesting seven-
speedballs, including six winners from the 2018
race programme.
Dubai World Cup Carnival.
Run over the same distance at the $2.5 million
Almanaara won this race in 2016 and looks the one
Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by Gulf
to beat. Watson also saddles Drafted, a bargain
News, the race has attracted a strong field of ten
purchase at the 2017 Racing in Dubai Sale, and the
runners headed by Almanaara, an imperious 7 ½-
promising Kimbear.
length winner over the course and distance in
“All three are in very good shape and working well
March. Trained by champion trainer Doug Watson,
at home,” the trainer said. “Almanaara has the best
the exciting son of Shamardal represents Shaikh
draw of the trio over what is probably his ideal
Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of
trip, but, hopefully, the other two will be staying
Dubai and Minister of Finance, whose horses have
on. It is four weeks until the Dubai World Cup
won four of the first five editions of the race since
Carnival and this looks an ideal opportunity to get
its inauguration in 2013.
them back on the track.”
On his third UAE outing, Kimbear chased home the
Al Mheiri has saddled the winner of this sprint
Satish Seemar-trained Raven’s Corner, who set
three times and is represented by dirt debutant
record over 1,400 metres on the Meydan dirt.
Ibn Malik, the mount of Ben Curtis.
Trained by Seemar, the five-year-old will be having
A winner twice in Great Britain when trained by
his first start of the campaign. He is joined in the
Charlie Hills, he has often run well in the face of a
field by stable companion Circle Dream, the mount
stiff task, having contested races won by the likes
of Tadhg O’Shea.
of subsequent Group 1 winners Jungle Cat,
Bhupat Seemar, assistant trainer to Satish, said:
Ribchester and The Tin Man.
“Raven’s Corner is in very good form, but has been
Besides the feature, Thursday’s card also features
done no favours by the draw (post 9) and should
the 1,400-metre Lincoln Continental, and Lincoln
improve for his first run back. Circle Dream is a 3-
Navigator over 2,000 metres.
year-old taking on the older horses, which is never
Another race to look forward to is the Lincoln, a
easy, but he is doing well at home.”
1,600-metre conditions race for which a dozen
Fazza Stables’ Sandeep Jadhav also runs two, with
two-year-olds have been declared. Heading the
stable jockey Royston Ffrench opting to partner
weights are the two previous winners and thus
Jebel Ali Racecourse scorer High on Life and Xavier
penalised, Walking Thunder and Superior.
Ziani aboard Sutter County.
Both are trained by Ahmad Bin Harmash for the
“High on Life did not run as well as we hoped he
Phoenix Ladies Syndicate, a new entity who were
would last time,” Jadhav said. “He has a great draw
celebrating victories with both their first ever
and we are very hopeful. Sutter County has been
runners. Stable jockey Connor Beasley, aboard for
working well since his first run, but the draw was
both the wins, sticks with Walking Thunder, while
not helpful for him.” Emirati handler Musabbeh
Antonio Fresu picks up Superior.
MENDELSSOHN RETIRED FROM RACING, TO STAND AT ASHFORD STUD IN 2019 HORSE RACING NATION Coolmore announced Sunday that Grade 1 winner
Coolmore America manager Dermot Ryan said in a
Mendelssohn has been retired from racing and will
statement. “Being by our own Scat Daddy and a
stand at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., for the
half-brother to Into Mischief and Beholder, you
2019 breeding season. The announcement came a
couldn’t ask for a better pedigree and he showed
day after Mendelssohn finished fourth in the Cigar
real brilliance when wining the Breeders’ Cup
Mile (G1). His will stand for a fee of $35,000.
Juvenile Turf at Del Mar and the UAE Derby by a
The global operation went to $3 million to
street, recording a new track record. He also ran
purchase the son of Scat Daddy at the 2016
some excellent races in defeat this fall, notably in
Keeneland September Yearling Sale. In addition to
the Travers and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. We
being sired by the late Coolmore stallion,
have already had a huge number of (inquiries)
Mendelssohn is out of Leslie's Lady, who produced
about him and I have no doubt that he will prove
champion race mare Beholder and successful
extremely popular.” Mendelssohn won the UAE
Spendthrift Farm stallion Into Mischief.
Derby by 18 1/2 lengths before running last in the
“All of our team loved Mendelssohn from the first
Kentucky Derby. He returned to run third in the
time we saw him as a yearling and he has
one-mile Dwyer (G3) before stretching back out to
developed into a magnificent looking horse,”
1 1/4 miles in three consecutive Grade 1 races.
He was runner-up to Catholic Boy in the Travers Stakes before holding for third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup after contesting a hot pace just off Diversify. He then held for fifth after setting the pace in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Mendelssohn was also being considered for the Pegasus World Cup Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park. He was listed on Ashford's 2019 stallion roster when it was first released, then removed as news came out he could point to the Cigar Mile.
DRAFTED DENIES IBN MALIK IN THRILLING GARHOUD SPRINT
owner Misty Hollow Farm its third win from its last
ERA
so we decided to take the visor off and he has
DUBAI (December 6, 2018)—Thursday’s Racing at
broken much better today. Sam has given him a
Meydan card was an action-packed evening of
great ride and timed his challenge perfectly.
racing highlighted by the featured Garhoud Sprint
Drafted has probably tired in the final stages, but
(Listed), sponsored by Al Tayer Motors, which
hung on gamely. Kimbear has also run very well
featured a thrilling finish as Doug Watson-trained
over this shorter trip and that should put him spot
Drafted ran down dirt-debuting Ibn Malik in the
on for the first round of the Maktoum Challenge in
final yards of the 1200m affair. The win was the
five weeks. Drafted will go on to the Dubawi.”
second on the evening for the combination of said
As for Powderhouse’s maiden-breaking victory—a
trainer and jockey Sam Hitchcott, who teamed up
race that was delayed when J Be Space broke
to win the opener—the Lincoln MKZ Trophy
through the gate and lost his saddle and jockey
handicap over 2000m—with locally debuting
(Richard Mullen) en route to being withdrawn
Powderhouse. Finishing up in a solid time of
—Hitchcott was pleased with his hard-closing
1:11.86, the bargain Racing in Dubai Sale AED
effort, saying: “Having been off the track since
40,000 purchase won by a measured nose over his
August last year, hopefully he can build on that,
Musabbeh Al Mheiri-trained runner-up, giving
both in terms of fitness and experience.”
five Meydan starts with the Canadian-bred son of Field Commission. The three arguably highest regarded in the field—Group 3 winner Kimbear, track record-setting Raven’s Corner and the fleetfooted frontrunner High on Life—filled out the following three spots in what was a fitting Dubai World Cup Carnival prep for both the Group 3 Dubawi Stakes on Jan. 3 and Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 on Jan. 10. Watson, who also saddled Kimbear and seventh-place Almanaara, said: “He was missing the break a bit last season,
Mutawahed Team, the 5-year-old gelded son of Discreet Cat was doubling his local tally and registering a third career success having scored once for Mark Johnston when trained in Britain. “To be honest, making the running was probably not the plan, but nobody else seemed to want to lead, so I was then happy to,” Mullen said. “We went quite quick initially, but I was able to get a breather into him and then he has really battled all the way to the line.” The trainer completed a double with the remarkable victory of Cachao in the1600m handicap, the Lincoln MKX, which attracted a full field of 16. Under a stealthy ride by Tadhg O’Shea, the son of New Approach closed resolutely up the rail, tipped out to pass frontrunner Pirate’s Cove and ultimately outbattled fellow late-runner Big Brown Bear. Eleven juveniles contested the Lincoln, a 1600m
“I ride this horse regularly at home and he is
conditions race that was won by the heavily
basically a lazy type, but a fast 1600m like this
favoured Phoenix Ladies Syndicate’s Walking
evening does suit him,” O’Shea said. “After I rode
Thunder, the only previous winner in the field.
him over 1400m last time, I told Satish and the
Despite a less than ideal trip, the son of Violence
owner (Ali Muktar) back over 1600m he would run
thrashed his opponents in the final throws under
a big race. Luckily, it all worked out well.” The
Connor Beasley for trainer Ahmad bin Harmash.
Lincoln Navigator, a 2000m handicap, looked
“Over 1400m the first time, I was keen to be
competitive on paper but ultimately proved a fairly
positive and teach him. Today was a further
straightforward task for Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid
education about seeing out the 1600m,” Beasley
Al Nuaimi’s Ali Rashid Al Rayhi-trained New Bid,
said. “It all went to plan. For an inexperienced
who picked up stylishly in the lane to outrun
youngster, he has a remarkably professionally
Welford for the win under Fernando Jara. That pair
attitude and he strikes as a smart horse. Stepping
was comfortably clear of Albernathy in third,
up in class next year, we will hope he can build
making for a 1-2-3 finish for sire Dubawi. The
on this ” A run in either the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial
Lincoln Navigator, a 2000m handicap, looked
on Jan. 10 or UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) on Feb. 7 is
competitive on paper but ultimately proved a fairly
expected to be next for the well-regarded charge.
straightforward task for Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid
Both are over the same 1600m. The longest race on
Al Nuaimi’s Ali Rashid Al Rayhi-trained New Bid,
the card, the 2200m Lincoln MKC handicap only
who picked up stylishly in the lane to outrun
witnessed one leader with Heraldic soon in front
Welford for the win under Fernando Jara. That pair
under Richard Mullen and staying there
was comfortably clear of Albernathy in third,
throughout. Trained by Satish Seemar for Al Bait
making for a 1-2-3 finish for sire Dubawi.
BALTIC KNIGHT WINS BAPCO CUP IN STUNNING FASHION GDN
BALTIC Knight was the biggest winner at yesterday’s horse racing at Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club in Sakhir, causing the only upset on a day when favourites won six of the seven races, including four of the five feature events. Baltic Knight, owned by Al-Afoo Racing Stable, trained by Hussain Aldailami and ridden by P Convertino, stunned favourite Laidback Romeo by half-a-length to win the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco Cup) for imported horses carrying a cash prize of BD5,000 Bazaruto was third and Sir Viktor fourth. Favourites won the remaining races, including two support races.
Al Hamdany 1697 owned by Safra, trained by Alan Smith and ridden by Gerald Mosse, beat Kuheilaan Aafas 1708 by three-fourth-length to win the Bahrain Olympic Committee Cup for Arabian horse carrying a cash prize of BD5,000 Al Hamdanieh 1637 was third and Al Hamdaany 1680 fourth. Another favourite Caped Crusader, owned by Victorious, trained by Alan Smith and ridden by Gerald Mosse, followed suit beating Shamikh by half-a-length to win the Bapco Cup for locally bred horses carrying a cash prize of BD3,000 Riyada was third and Mohaayedah fourth Run Cutlass, owned by Al Adiyat Racing, trained by Alan Smith and ridden by Gerald Mosse, continued the good run for the favourites edging out Al Barea by a neck to win the Credimax Cup carrying cash prize of BD2,000 Jayyash was third and Lazzam fourth. Harbour Rock, owned by Al-Afoo Racing Stable, trained by Hussain Aldailami and ridden by P Convertino, beat Balestra by a length to win the Bapco Cup carrying a cash prize of BD2,000. Midhmaar was third and Excuse To Linger fourth. NOMADIC
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The day began well for the favourites as Nibras Bounty, owned by Abbas Ahmed Yousif, trained by Jaffar Marzooq and ridden by Husain Makki, won the first of the two support races carrying a cash prize of BD2,000, beating Millers Wharf by three-fourth-length. Northern Thunder was third and Fehaydi fourth. Dushanbe, owned by Shaikh Isa bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, trained by James Naylor and ridden by Andrew Elliott, beat Hamama by nine lengths to win the second support race which also carried a cash prize of BD2,000 Tibyan was third and Muhazwara fourth.
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RIO TIGRE BANKS JEBEL ALI FEATURE; BIN HARMASH LANDS TREBLE
“He is a very good horse and he won well
ERA
such good form.”
Jebel Ali staged the only race meeting in the
Satish Seemar saddled four of the 15 runners
UAE this weekend with a seven-race card on
in the opening 1400m maiden and supplied
Friday highlighted by a handicap over
first and second with local debutant Mabrook
1800m, won stylishly up the hill by Rio Tigre
unable to catch Beachcomber, who was
for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohd Al Maktoum
never headed among the larger group on the
and Sandeep Jadhav. Stable jockey Royston
far side of the track. Ridden by Tadhg O’Shea,
Ffrench was aboard the multiple Group 3-
Beachcomber was opening his account on
placed son of Teofilo.
his third career start, second this
here two weeks ago,” Jadhav said. “We will have to see what the handicapper does now before deciding whether to run here again or go to Meydan.” Ffrench added: “He actually won better today than he did last time. He tries very hard for you which is always a big help. If you look back, he has some very good form in the past. Well done to Sandeep and his team who have done a really great job with this horse at home to get him back in
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season and first at Jebel Ali. Sporting the
me into the race strongly. It was just a case of
silks of Mohd Khalifa Al Basti, the 4-year-old
him getting home up the hill over this trip
gelded son of Bernardini looks sure to
but he stayed on strongly.” The jockey
improve with experience. “That is the ideal
completed a double and a treble for the
start to the afternoon and we thought both
trainer when Goldenground was never
had good chances,” Seemar said. “Mr Al Basti
headed in the concluding maiden, a 1000m
is a massive supporter of UAE racing and it is
dash. The 1400m handicap produced a
always nice to train a winner for him.” O’Shea
dramatic finish with Initial, a 1600m winner
added: “As you can see, this is a big, strong,
at Al Ain two weeks ago, flashing home on
raw horse who was particularly quickly out
the nearside rail, but fractionally too late for
the gates today. I found myself in front and
connections who—after the photograph was
did not want to disappoint him. He seemed
examined—actually had to settle for third. In
happy bowling along. Hopefully there is more
the centre of the track Pinter had looked the
to come from him.” An hour later, the owner
likely winner when leading 300m from home
completed a double, combining on this
(Antonio Fresu riding for Erwan Charpy), but
occasion with Doug Watson and Pat Dobbs
they were caught shortly afterwards by Chris
to land a 1200m handicap with Lytham St
Hayes and Fear The Fury, initiating the treble
Annes, a 5-year-old Bahamian Bounty
for Bin Harmash. Hayes, riding in the colours
gelding who was doubling his career tally on
of Al Mansoori, said: “It was the first time I
his 12th UAE outing. “He has been with us for
have ridden the horse, but he was a course
a little while, but has always had a few
and distance winner last November, so I had
niggling problems until this season,” Watson
no concern about the conditions. Wearing
said. “He was an excellent fourth on his first
blinkers for the first time, he has travelled
start for us, as a 3-year-old over 1400m on turf
strongly and I was probably in front too soon,
at Meydan and we always knew he was
but—apart from the second—the leaders all
decent. Credit to the owner for persevering
dropped away.” Fernando Jara appears to
with him. Hopefully the horse can go on to
have found the key to Skygazer and, just as
bigger and better things as he has plenty of
was the case over 2000m at Sharjah a
ability. Rocket Power made it three for the
fortnight ago, the pair were never headed in
owner, looking well-named when shooting
the 1950m handicap for Ali Al Rayhi, who
clear under Connor Beasley in the 1600m
said: “This horse was a maiden when he
handicap. Saddled by Ahmad bin Harmash,
joined us and has now won six times,
who was completing a double, the 5-year-old
including on turf in China. That was his
Kyllachy gelding won once in England, on
second Jebel Ali win and he has two at
the all-weather at Southwell and was
Sharjah, as well as one at Al Ain.” Jara added:
registering a second victory since joining
“I think that Sharjah win boosted his
current connections having won a 1200m
confidence and it helped I was able to get a
Jebel Ali handicap in March 2017.
reasonably easy lead. Credit to Ali and the
Bin Harmash said: “It has been a good
team at home. He is a happy horse. As you
afternoon and the horses continue in good
could see afterwards, he probably had a bit
form after a pleasing start to the
left in the tank, the way he was prancing
season.” Beasley added: “That was actually
around in the winner’s enclosure.”
quite impressive and he has really carried
Charlie Appleby named International Trainer of the Year for third straight year THE NATIONAL Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby capped a
inspiration to every one of us at Godolphin,”
memorable year by winning the International
Appleby told the Godolphin website.
Trainer of the Year title for a third successive
“I am forever grateful to His Highness for
time. Appleby saddled 12 of Godolphin’s 30
having given me the opportunity to train for
international Group 1 winners in 2018,
him. “I am also fortunate in having an
including historic wins at the Epsom Derby
excellent team at Moulton Paddocks, headed
with Masar and Melbourne Cup with Cross
by my assistants Marie Murphy and Alex
Counter, as well as Line Of Duty’s triumph in
Merriam. Their skill and dedication, plus the
the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile at Churchill
hard work of the entire team, have been major
Downs. Masar became the first Godolphin first
factors in the Godolphin success story this
horse to win the English Classic. while Cross
year.” The International Trainer of the Year
Counter ended the Dubai Racing Operation’s
award is decided by the International Racing
30-year wait for a Melbourne Cup victory.
Bureau and is awarded to the trainer who
Appleby acknowledged 2018 had been an
made the biggest global impact throughout
“unbelievable year” and he dedicated his
the year. Appleby won this year’s award ahead
award to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice
of Karl Burke, John Gosden and Godolphin’s
President and Ruler of Dubai, and founder of
other trainer Saeed bin Suroor, who saddled,
Godolphin. “I have one person to thank for
among others, 2018 Dubai World Cup winner
that, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, whose
Thunder Snow.
ambition and passion for our sport is an
Meydan Group Announces 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnvial Accepted Invitees ERA
DUBAI (November 28, 2018)—Meydan Group has released the list of horses accepted for the 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival, which commences on January 3, 2019, at Meydan Racecourse. The list features 202 accepted horses conditioned by a total of 71 trainers from 17 countries. Several international stars are set to travel to Dubai this winter to compete for a share of the US$12,670,000 prize money—an increase of 12% from 2018— across 10 race cards, including 61 Thoroughbred races and 4 Group Purebred Arabian races.
In its 16th year, Dubai World Cup Carnival will take place on nine consecutive Thursdays, from January 3 through February 28, before ending with Super Saturday, March 9. Super Saturday’s race card, which has been boosted to a record $2.65 million in prize money, will once again be a dress rehearsal for the worldrecord $35 million Dubai World Cup card on March 30, 2019. Changes to the 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival The three rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge have received purse increases: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 (Group 2, 1600m, January 10) is now worth $350,000; an increase of $100,000. Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (Group 2, 1900m, February 7) is now worth $450,000; an increase of $200,000. Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (Group 1, 2000m, Super Saturday) is now worth $600,000; an increase of $200,000. Eight of the previous 19 Dubai World Cup winners have competed in the series, including four of the last seven. Super Saturday’s Jebel Hatta (Group 1, 1800m turf) will increase $100,000 to $400,000. Other increases for Super Saturday: Dubai City of Gold (Group 2, 2410m turf) will be worth $300,000 and the Al Bastakiya (Listed, 1900m) goes up to $300,000 as the prep for the richest dirt derby in the world, the $2.5 million UAE Derby sponsored by The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (Group 2, 1900m). Three individual races on the same evening increase by $150,000 to boast purses of $350,000: the Mahab Al Shimaal (Group 3, 1200m), Burj Nahaar (Group 3, 1600m) and newly upgraded Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (Group 3, 1200m turf). Dubai World Cup Carnival handicaps will receive increases ranging from $10,000 to $15,000, with the minimum total purse being $135,000 (for horses rated 90-105) and rising as high as $175,000 (for horses rated 90 and up).