Dubai // Meydan’s first 2015 Dubai World Cup Carnival fixture since the switch to dirt this season opened with the Group 1 Purebred Arabian version of the Al Maktoum Challenge, won by Bigg N Rich.
Ridden by Wayne Smith for trainer Eric Lemartinel, the win ended a run of nine consecutive UAE Purebred Arabian Group One victories for trainer Majed Al Jahouri, dating back to March 2013.
"He travelled very strongly and everything fell into place this evening," Smith said. "For a Purebred Arabian, he has a good turn of foot."
That was over 1,600 metres, as was the thoroughbred version of the Al Maktoum Challenge, which carries Group 2 status. There was a locally trained winner in Surfer, who was ridden by Richard Mullen for trainer Satish Seemar.
Placed in plenty of big races in the past, Seemar’s charge won a Listed race over the same course and distance on his previous outing and clearly thrives on Meydan’s new dirt surface.
“He just loves the dirt and always has. We train on dirt at home and he has always worked well on it,” Mullen said.
“He has been placed in the middle and concluding rounds of the Maktoum Challenge on the old tapeta, but the mile here on dirt really suits him.
“We could stick to 1,600m with him or step him back up in trip. We have plenty of options with him and hopefully there is another big win in him. He deserved this one tonight and is a credit to the whole team.”
The Listed Singspiel Stakes, an 1,800m turf race, was won easily by Godolphin's True Story, with James Doyle in the saddle for his new employers and trainer Saeed bin Suroor.
A winner at the same Listed level in England last April, he was a little disappointing afterwards but was allowed to take his chance in the Epsom Derby.
“He has been gelded since the last run, which looks the right thing to have done as he can be a bit of a lad,” Doyle said.
“I was always pretty confident throughout the race and he quickened nicely to win the race in a few strides.
“It is great to ride a first-night Carnival winner for Saeed and Godolphin. Hopefully there will be more to follow.”
The first thoroughbred race of this year’s Carnival was a 1,900m handicap on dirt and Dane O’Neill drove I’m Back to a hard-fought success from Henry Clay. It was yet another Carnival winner for Bin Suroor.
Henry Clay’s trainer, Doug Watson, and jockey, Pat Dobbs, may have been denied that time, but they had plenty to celebrate after the victory of Faulkner in a 1,400m dirt handicap.
Dobbs produced his mount fast and late to lead close to home and make it three wins from three starts.
The first turf race was a 1,000m handicap and Hototo, narrowly denied in the same contest last year, went one better with Luke Morris riding for Fawzi Nass.
Never far off the speed, the pair hit the front just on 200m from home and ran on strongly.
“Fawzi had the horse in great shape for this evening,” O’Neill said. “He is naturally very quick and it was a good effort.”
The concluding 1,400m turf handicap was won by Godolphin’s Safety Check, a first local winner for apprentice Cam Hardie and saddled by Charlie Appleby.
Al Muhairi targets fourth straight victory in Listed Jebel Ali Stakes
The feature on Friday’s six-race card at Jebel Ali Racecourse is the Listed Jebel Ali Stakes. First run in 1993, Musabah Al Muhairi made history last year when he became the first trainer to saddle the winner in three straight seasons, with Interpret’s victory coming after two wins by Treble Jig.
Interpret is not among the entries on Friday, which leaves Silver Galaxy to represent the Oasis Stables-based handler.
“He deserves to take his chance in this better company,” stable jockey Silvestre De Sousa said.
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