Dubai season kicks off with six races at Meydan
– Racing makes a welcome return to Dubai tomorrow with Meydan hosting an attractive sixrace card, in which the most interesting race is the night’s opener, a 1200m maiden plate for juveniles. The race has attracted seven runners, some boasting smart pedigrees and representing top yards.
Doug Watson, the most successful trainer at Meydan last season, saddles Cosmo Kramer, whose dam Gabbywitha G was a top-class race mare in Peru, winning 18 times. It’s slightly disconcerting Watson’s colt is fitted with a visor on his racecourse debut.
Satish Seemar introduces the US-bred Barack Beach, an expensive purchase at the Craven breeze-up sale in Newmarket in April. By Daredevil, a dirt influence, he caught the eye in his breeze at Tattersalls and has the benefit of a recent trial.
Seven-time UAE champion Tadhg O’Shea has just been appointed stable jockey to Jebel Alibased French trainer Nicholas Bachalard. The pair team up with Laa Baas, another graduate of the Craven breeze-up sale whose pedigree suggests he will enjoy
Dubai
the conditions. This son of Oxbow is well related and warrants respect.
Last year’s winning trainer Ahmad Bin Harmash has declared Mambo Mischief, a $150,000 purchase at the OBS Sales earlier in the year. This US-bred colt has the services of Connor Beasley and merits respect, along with Salem Bin Ghadayer’s Attribution, a son of Competitive Edge who is the only horse to be declared from Bin Ghadayer’s three entries on Monday.
The unexposed Big Brown Bear was highly progressive last winter, winning twice at Meydan. He makes his comeback in the 2000m handicap, Race 4, in the hands of Pat Dobbs. Trained by Doug Watson, he has more to offer, is nicely drawn and can get his campaign off to a winning start.
Satish Seemar’s Wellford and Top Clearance, trained by Nicholas Bachalard, can boast winning form under tonight’s conditions and should emerge the principal dangers to the selection.
Thirty-five minutes later George Villiers, the joint most expensive horse at the Racing in Dubai Sale 13 months ago, faces 11 rivals in the 1600m handicap on his seasonal debut. He justified his big price tag last season, winning on his dirt debut after a couple of pleasing efforts on turf.
By Dubawi, the most successful sire on Meydan’s main track, he’s very unexposed on dirt and is fancied to take the prize before tackling stronger company later in the campaign.
Important Mission, trained by
Salem Bin Ghadayer, progressed with racing last term, culminating in an impressive victory here in April when defying a wide stall under Royston Ffrench, who maintains the partnership. Important Mission has been done no favours with barrier No 12 tomorrow, but remains the biggest threat to George Villiers.
Satish Seemar holds all the aces in the 1200m handicap, Race 2. He’s responsible for half of the eight runners, with preference for the Richard Mullen-ridden Speedy Move. He’s clearly well suited to the conditions and looks highly significant Mullen has chosen.
Outside of the Seemar battalion, Zaajer makes most appeal having caught the eye on his Meydan dirt debut in a stronger handicap in March. He failed to build on that promise next time but was found to have an excuse, as he was reported to have bled.
The once-raced Zalmi Star gets the vote in the 1900m maiden plate, Race 3. He made late progress in a 1400m maiden in March, staying on nicely in the closing stages to run third behind Blockchain and shaping as the step in distance will be in his favour tonight.