Dubai// Musabah Al Muhairi spearheaded the defence of Meydan from the international brigade yesterday with a treble on a Super Saturday card that posed serious questions about the big names three weeks out from the World Cup.
The Oasis Stables trainer augmented the victories of Muarrab in the Mahab Al Shimaal and Fityaan in the Meydan Sprint with a sensational upset by Special Fighter in the third round of the Al Maktoum Challenge.
Special Fighter’s eclipse of Hong Kong raider Gun Pit and Faulkner was authoritative at four-and-a-half lengths, if for nothing else that UAE Derby winner Mubtaahij was only fourth and American raider Keen Ice stranded in seventh.
It was a first win at Group 1 level for Al Muhairi, and he was left dreaming of the largest cut of US$10 million (Dh36.7m) in the World Cup on March 26.
“This is a big night for me,” he said. “It is the first time I have won three races on a night like this. I have won the big one and it gives me a chance to win the World Cup. I think he can win it for sure.”
Special Fighter had finished sixth to World Cup hopeful Frosted in the second round of the World Cup trial series last month, but Al Muhairi said that the five year old had lost a shoe.
The son of Teofilo led for most of the 2,000 metres of the $400,000 contest under Fernando Jura, and the Panamanian was bemused at the ease of the win afterwards.
“He just took off in the last 400 metres and that was it,” he said.
There were 32 international horses in action here yesterday, and only Postponed’s success under Andrea Atzeni in the Dubai City Of Gold gave them anything at all to cheer about.
Godolphin’s Tryster took the Jebel Hatta with his trademark turn of foot that could give Solow something to think about in the Dubai Turf.
More racing news: Dubai Turf the target for Tryster on World Cup night, says Charlie Appleby
Cool Cowboy handed Doug Watson his 50th winner this season in the Burj Nahaar and Dhruba Selvaratnam kept his momentum rolling by saddling Market Rally to win the Al Bastikiya.
All four dirt winners had led from early on, which left Mike De Kock, Mubtaahij’s trainer, perplexed. “You get to the front, you get to the rail and you then you’re cooking with gas,” the South African trainer said.
“I thought Mubtaahij would run closer than that. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed with the run. At least there is a bit of improvement to come from Mubtaahij.
“We’re left scratching our heads, as will a lot of trainers, with these results.”
Keen Ice’s assistant trainer Tammy Fox could not explain the poor run, although the son of World cup winner Curlin broke poorly under Ryan Moore and was shunted three wide for much of the race.
Keen Ice’s only significant career victory was to take the scalp of American Pharoah after he had been softened up by Frosted in a speed duel in the Travers Stakes last season. It was reported last night in America that connections blamed the slow pace of the race.
With front-runners dominating all night on dirt, Charlie Appleby’s decision to abort Tryster’s proposed dirt campaign at the beginning of the season in favour of turf now looks inspired.
Tryster once again came from last to first to seal his first victory at the highest level and added to his win in the Dubai Millennium Stakes last month.
After Blue Creek had fractured his pelvis behind Market Rally in the first race of the day, it was a welcome bookend for the Marmoom Stables handler.
“It is fantastic to win my first Group 1 race here,” Appleby said. “It was a great end to a day that started badly. Blue Creek will be fine.”
POSTPONED PROGRESS SPEEDS UP
Andrea Atzeni and Roger Varian expect considerable improvement from Postponed after the five year old was an easy winner of the Group 2 Dubai City Of Gold yesterday.
Postponed beat French raider Dariyan by three lengths, with Saeed bin Suroor’s Haafaguinea a length behind while Al Asay’s Balios was fourth.
It was Postponed’s first start since he won the Prix Foy at Longchamp in September, and although Varian had stated before the race the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner was ready, the son of Dubawi certainly walked the walk.
“It was like a piece of work, Atzeni said. “He was very good. He had been training well. I galloped him here last Wednesday and it felt very good.
“He should come on for the run and he didn’t have a hard race today, so I’m very hopeful.”
Postponed was having his first run for Varian, the Newmarket-based trainer, after he was one of 35 horses removed from Luca Cumani’s stables after the Prix Foy by owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid.
Postponed was scratched from running in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in September and then missed the Breeders’ Cup due to a poor scope.
Atzeni always had Postponed in touch behind long-time leader Captain Morley and Haafaguinea, and Dariyan was close by on the outside under Christophe Soumillon.
Captain Morley fell away in the straight, and as Haafaguinea’s petrol tank emptied Atzeni sent Postponed for home.
No Dubai City Of Gold winner has gone on to win the Dubai Sheema Classic and Postponed will have the highly-regarded Japanese challenger Duramente to contend with in three weeks. “He won it in the manner that his form told you he could win it,” Varian said.
“You can’t quantify how much there is to come but he had done enough work to not use fitness an excuse. He is a big horse, he is a five year old and carried a bit of condition so I’m sure he will tighten up.”
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