Reynaldothewizard swansong tonight in Dubawi Stakes

Emotions will run high as the entire Zabeel Stables staff, including trainer Satish Seemar and his retained jockey Richard Mullen, will be kept on their toes when Reynaldothewizard steps on to Meydan Racecourse tonight.

The “Wizard”, as he is popularly known, is bidding for a fourth Dubawi Stakes prize in his swansong year, as racehorses on the flat are not permitted to race beyond the age of 12.

The American-bred bay gelding by Speightstown has been sparingly raced, but the 12-year-old horse has proved he has not lost any of the zest to compete against his younger rivals.

Reynaldothewizard has won the Dubawi Stakes – elevated to Group 3 this year from Listed status – all three times since the race was first run in 2015.

Mullen, who has ridden the horse in all but one of his 10 victories in 22 local starts, has opted to ride Reynaldothewizard from the stables’ second entry Raven’s Corner.

Reynaldothewizard is the senior citizen at the stables, which houses more than 150 racehorses. He also happens to be an all-time favourite of the staff and his handler, Seemar.

“He doesn’t owe anything to anybody. He’s done it all and we are racing him because he still wants to race,” Seemar said. “You can’t force these equine athletes. They’ll race as long as they are happy and healthy. He’s always be a special horse in my life and for my team as well.

“Very rarely you get a horse that you spend so much time with, and Reynaldo is probably the only racehorse that has spent so much time [at the stables].

“It’s easy to plan his races as we run only two to four races for a season.”

Reynaldothewizard’s six younger opponents include Muarrab, the Garhoud Sprint winner, and the UAE champion trainer Doug Watson’s My Catch.

It is Reynaldothewizard’s first run, but he usually does well when he is fresh.

Mullen seems to have chosen to ride him for sentimental reasons rather than form.

Also making his seasonal appearance, Raven’s Corner , the five-year-old chestnut gelding by Raven’s Pass, won his past two starts after finishing runner-up behind Shoreditch in his local debut, and Mullen was atop in all three starts.

Godolphin’s Comicas and My Catch are expected to improve from their runs to reverse the form over Muarrab, but success for the old fan favourite, Reynaldothewizard, would bring the roof down at Meydan.

The seven-race card opens with the UAE 1,000 Guineas Trial, over 1,400 metres, that has drawn 14 runners.

Godolphin has three entered with Caring Touch, winner of her only start, Expressiy, winner of two of her five starts, and Winter Lightning, runner-up in her only start.

The Watson-trained Rayya was an impressive winner by more than nine lengths in his course debut over the same distance and also looks to be the one to beat.