Dubai// Meydan’s penultimate meeting of the season, a six-race card on Thursday night all on the Tapeta with no obvious feature race, was doubles dominated.
Royston Ffrench, riding for his main employer, Ali Rashid Al Raihe, steered Expert Answer to a comfortable victory in the opening race, a 1,600m maiden.
It was a good effort from the horse who only made his debut last week.
Ffrench said: “I had to wait for a gap early in the straight but when it opened he quickened through it nicely.
“He still has a lot to learn but can hopefully progress.”
Al Raihe then completed a rapid double with Ghaamer, the easy winner of a 1,400m handicap under Dane O’Neill.
The pair stormed clear, fully 500m out, and were never going to be caught. O’Neill said: “He has won here over 1,600m so I had no concerns committing for home early.
“He showed a nice turn of foot to settle matters a long way out.”
Dutch jockey Adrie de Vries has proved a master of saving ground at Meydan in recent seasons and stuck to the inside rail for as long as possible on Ghost Army, winner of the 1,600m handicap. Trained by Ahmad bin Harmash, the winner was recording a second consecutive Meydan victory, having won a 2,200m maiden at his previous start.
De Vries said: “He is an improving horse and a nice new recruit for us this season.
“Stamina was never a problem and, once we found space, we were always in control.”
Trainer and jockey completed an impressive double with the comfortable victory of Ducab in a 1,900m handicap, the winner recording a second course and distance victory this season.
De Vries held his mount up well off the early speed but the pair always looked to be travelling well in midfield. The jockey pulled his mount out to challenge and the pair quickly took the lead with 200m to go and won easily.
De Vries said: “This horse just seems to love this surface and has done that very nicely. Hopefully he can build on this next season.”
Champion trainer Ernst Oertel and promising apprentice Daniel Muscutt combined to win the other two races with Touch Gold initiating the double, recording a third consecutive victory this season in a 1,200m handicap.
Just over an hour later, Malekov, like Touch Gold, owned by Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, completed the double for connections with victory in the concluding 2,200m handicap.
Muscutt said: “That is my fourth win on Touch Gold this season and he has been a real star for me. In fact, I was supposed to go back to England on Sunday but stayed to ride him again.
“I just have to thank Mr Oertel and the owners for this wonderful opportunity which I have really enjoyed.”
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