World class field for Meydan feature

dubai — The Longines Ladies Master Collection highlights a seven race card in Meydan Racecourse’s second meeting of the new season on Thursday evening. A 1600m rated conditions stakes, it would not appear out of place at the Dubai World Cup Carnival.

Pillar Partner Longines generously sponsor the whole card and have been rewarded with a quality field of 11 in the feature in which no fewer than four are to be saddled by Champion Trainer Doug Watson.

The master of Red Stables has a vast array of 1600m stars at his disposal, highlighted by his landing the last two renewals of the Meydan Sobha Godolphin Mile on the Dubai World Cup card.

Stable jockey, Pat Dobbs, elects to ride Cosmo Charlie, the only threeyear-old in the race and victorious in the Listed Al Bastakiya over 1900m on Meydan’s prestigious Super Saturday card in early March.

Sam Hitchcott is also based at Red Stables and rides Etijaah on whom he landed the inaugural Listed Curlin Handicap over 2000m at last season’s Carnival, defeating the 2016 Dubai World Cup runner-up, Mubtaahij in the process.

Mubtaahij was then fourth in this year’s World Cup and has subsequently won the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita.

Faulkner, the mount of Fernando Jara, and Layl, who has the benefit of apprentice Josh Quinn’s 3kgs claim, complete the Watson quartet.

The ever affable American said: “All four are ready for a run and this looks a good spot to get them back in action.

“Faulkner missed last season but has been pleasing us at home and it will be nice to see him back on the track but, if I had to pick one of the four, it would be Cosmo Charlie.