Sport Desk
DUBAI: Elnajmm shocked a few people when returning from a layoff to win the G2 Al Fahidi Fort in January. However, the Michael Costa-trained gelding proved that was no fluke with a decisive victory in the G3 Ras Al Khor [sponsored by Emaar] – the feature race of the penultimate Dubai Racing Carnival meeting.
Ridden by Ray Dawson, he traveled just behind the leaders in the 1400metre turf contest and wasted no time going for home in the straight, scooting away from Group 1 winner Mysterious Night for a two and three-quarter length victory.
“He’s a very nice animal,” said Dawson after his 33rd winner of the season. “We thought he would need the run last time as he’s a big solid horse. He’s improving with every run. The only concern was the penalty, but once I got him going up the straight he really galloped through the line very well.
“He’s a lot more relaxed now and his work at home is exceptional. I won this race last year on Marbaan and it’s nice to pay back the favour from Sheikh Ahmed [bin Rashid Al Maktoum, owner] and the confidence he’s had to put me on the horse.”
Dawson completed a sweep of the evening’s Group races, having earlier won the Purebred Arabians’ G2 Mazrat Al Ruwaayah, over 1400metres on turf. It came down to a battle between two Ibrahim Al Hadhrami-trained greys and it was Munir Du Soleil who prevailed, arriving late to deny AR Rawaa.
It was a fourth career success for the nine-year-old, but first since a spell in Qatar in 2021, and Dawson was thrilled.
“I’m delighted for the horse – he doesn’t win very often but he always runs nice races,” he said. “I wanted to be handier but they went pretty quick early. He had a bit of ground to make up on the stablemate, but he put his head down and really knuckled down.
“His work at home is unbelievable, so I’m really happy for the horse and connections.”
Crisford Winning Machine Continues
After a treble last week on Emirates Super Saturday, the excellent form of the Simon and Ed Crisford team continued when Involvement romped away with the Downtown Dash Handicap, race three, over 1900metres on turf. The Lope De Vega gelding was down the field on his return from a long break last time out but looked smart here.
Ridden by Champion Jockey Silvestre De Sousa, the five-year-old was held up early in the race but made telling progress towards the business end, going for home at the 100metre marker and beating favourite Masai Moon by two lengths.
“Last time I didn’t ride him, but looking at the race, he did a little too much in a race without much pace,” said De Sousa.
“Today I had a very kind draw [8] so I could judge the pace and I was happy to be down the back. It picked up well from the 1200metres and they started to stretch out which is beneficial to a horse coming from the back. Everything went smooth.”
On a good day for older horses, six-year-old Desperate Hero beat three-year-olds Postmodern and Do Or Do Not in a thrilling finish to the Emaar Momentum Handicap, race four, over 1200metres on turf.
Salem bin Ghadayer’s grey was making it two wins in three starts in the hands of Bernardo Pinheiro, arriving late along the stands rail and just holding on by a short head.
“This horse used to be a five furlong [1000metre] horse,” said Pinheiro. “He came to us late last year and took a while to find his form. He got a nice win over this distance but then we dropped him back to five [furlongs, 1000metres] which is a bit of a rush for him now as the pace is different in Europe.
“I was very confident with him today as I have been riding him every day at home.”
Doubles for Mheiri and Mullen
The unexposed Sirocco Winds picked up a second win on just his third start when reversing form with Nyaar in race two, the Emaar Surge Handicap, over 1400metres on dirt. Musabbeh Al Mheiri’s four-year-old had been third behind Nyaar last time out but met and passed that rival in the straight here, winning by three and a quarter lengths under Richie Mullen, riding his 26th winner of the season.
“On paper he was one of my nicer rides on the night,” said Mullen. “I liked him in the trial and then I won a maiden on him, when he came home well up the hill [at Jebel Ali].
“He’s still very mentally backward but he’s matured from that last run. Physically he’s still very lightly framed and I think he’s a horse they’ll have a lot of fun with, as he’ll be even better next year onwards.”
Mullen and Al Mheiri collected a double, completed when Elyabri battled to his first win in a year in the Emaar Champions Stakes, race five, over 2200metres on dirt.
The five-year-old looked beaten turning in but fought back along the rail for an unlikely verdict over Valdivia and the favourite Al Amir.
“He loves the rail,” said Mullen. “There’s not too many races over this 2200metres and he’s the ideal horse for it. He broke well and then the pace horses came over and I got shuffled back, but once he’s got that rail he’s a very genuine horse.
“Thanks to Musabbeh, Maria [Ritchie, Assistant Trainer] and the whole team at Oasis Stables as they’ve been very good to me this year and given me plenty of winners.”
Ahmad bin Harmash has had a good week thanks to his Super Saturday win with Native Approach. He combined with Connor Beasley once again for victory with Honest Desert in the penultimate Next Mile by Emaar three-year-old Conditions race, over 1200metres.
Making his fourth start, the Honest Mischief gelding was always up with the fast pace set by the tiny filly Miss Yechance and passed her in the straight, securing a length victory.
“We had a wide gate in 14 but his homework has been very professional,” said Beasley. “It’s probably taken him a few runs just to get the gist of things.
“I’ve ridden him plenty at home and his last piece of work was very good. I know how quick the filly [Miss Yechance] is on my inside is so to have the pace to lie up with her was very pleasing.”
Out of luck with Miss Yechance, trainers Antonio Cintra and Julio Olascoaga gained recompense with Vercors who got up in the competitive closing Emaar Velocity Handicap under De Sousa.
It was a first local win for Al Leith Racing’s five-year-old, who negotiated a passage through from the back of the field and beat Jumaira Bay and Open Mind.
Meydan stages its final Dubai Racing Carnival meeting of the season next Friday, 13 March, before the excitement of the 30th Dubai World Cup meeting on 28 March.
