Jean van Overmeire and Michael Costa land another double at Meydan

Mickael Barzalona and trainer Musabah Al Muhairi also celebrate two winners each

Jean van Overmeire (L) rides the first of his two winners, Torrkee, in the opening race at Meydan on February 12, 2023. Photo: Adiyat Racing Plus

Jockey-trainer partnership Jean van Overmeire and Michael Costa followed up their double at Jebel Ali on Saturday with another two winners at Meydan on Sunday.

Van Overmeire made all on Torrkee to take the opener by a length from Oscar Chavez and Harvest Gold, then produced a well-timed run from Alhzeem to win the next by nine lengths from Antonio Fresu and Arabian Gazelles.

Mickael Barzalona also rode a double for two different trainers. He won the fourth race on Salem bin Ghadayer’s Deciduous, and was back in the winner’s enclosure 35 minutes later on Simon and son Ed Crisford-trained Stormy Ocean.

“I was always travelling very well and tried to go inside but the gap closed so I had to change plan and switch outside,” Barzalona said of Deciduous.

“Once in the clear he really picked up and won well. You would like to think he can build on that as he has not had much racing.”

The Frenchman completed the double on local debutant Stormy Ocean, the former Godolphin runner having his first start for Rabbah Racing since joining the Crisfords.

“That was the first time I have ridden him in a race and he was perhaps travelling too strongly early on but he has finished his race off well. Hopefully there is more to come from him as he is a promising, horse,” Barzalona added.

Also rounding off the meeting with a double was the Emirati trainer Musabah Al Muhairi.

Fresu on Falsehood won the third race for him and Bernardo Pinheiro completed the double on Ra’Ad in the concluding handicap.

Results

2.30pm: Fazaa Senior Citizen – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m

Winner: Torrkee, Jean van Overmeire (jockey), Michael Costa (trainer)

3.05pm: Fazaa Discount – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,900m

Winner: Alhzeem, Jean van Overmeire, Michael Costa

3.40pm: Fazaa Silver – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Falsehood, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi

4.15pm: Fazaa Gold – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 2,410m

Winner: Deciduous, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer

4.50pm: Fazaa Platinum – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,800m

Winner: Stormy Ocean, Mickael Barzalona, Simon & Ed Crisford

5.25pm: Fazaa Hemam – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,400m

Winner: Ra’Ad, Bernardo Pinheiro, Musabah Al Muhairi