MEYDAN RACE REVIEW; Seemar Captures Consecutive Treble

Sporting the yellow and red silks of Mohd Khaleel Ahmed, O’Shea settled his mount in the middle of the pack before the pair made smooth headway on the home turn, setting sail after early leader Emirates Currency. They snared that tiring rival entering the final 275m and had enough left in the tank to hold the late thrust of Ahesto Bero who was finishing fast, but, ultimately, too late. A seasonal debutant, Recordman is a 6YO gelded son of Dubawi who was having just his fifth start for Seemar and first since exactly a year ago when he contested the 2000m dirt handicap on this card. A winner once in Britain for Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor, he had opened his local account at the second attempt in a 2400m handicap on the Abu Dhabi turf in November 2019.

A similarly good quality handicap, the Lincoln Navigator over 2000m on dirt, was won in thrilling fashion by Twelfthofneverland, produced to lead close home by apprentice Nathan Crosse to deny Karnavaal who looked all over the winner when hitting the front with 375m remaining. The winner, trained by Satish Seemar was a first UAE winner for owners Dakki Stable at just the third attempt. A 5YO entire son of the unheralded Istan, having just his second local outing, after a well-beaten UAE debut here at Meydan over 1400m a month ago, won twice in the US prior to joining Seemar. Settled in midfield, in a race contested at a strong gallop, Crosse eased his mount closer on the home turn and found a willing partner who galloped on resolutely, just snatching victory in the final 25m.

It was a fourth win for the young jockey in his first UAE campaign and he said: “It has gone well so far and I am very grateful to Mr Seemar for the opportunity and to the other connections who have given me rides.

The following 1600m turf handicap, the Lincoln Corsair, produced a similarly exciting conclusion, only this time the line arrived a stride too soon for the fast-finishing Kanood who was unable to deny Imperial Empire, ridden by Tadhg O’Shea and completing a rapid double for Seemar. Well away from a wide draw, O’Shea was able to track the leaders before the pair were left in front about 425m out before clinging on grimly. A 4YO Dubawi gelding, he was making his local debut and understandably seemingly tired as it was his first appearance since October 2019, his fifth and final start for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby for whom he won once.

The opening Lincoln Continental, a 1400m turf maiden, was won stylishly by Spirit Of Light, confidently ridden by Clement Lecoeuvre in the colours of Sayed Hashish for Erwan Charpy. Settled in fourth by the Frenchman, doubling his UAE tally in this his first season locally, the 4YO gelded son of Dark Angel quickened past Le Factor with 250m remaining and was never going to be caught afterwards. This, his ninth start, was actually his first on turf after one all-weather appearance in Britain for Godolphin and seven appearances on dirt at Meydan, including fifth in both the 1600m Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas and 1900m Listed Al Bastakiya.

After a Bright Start in the 1900m dirt maiden, the Lincoln Nautilus, the Godolphin horse by that name was in front after about 100m under Pat Cosgrave and had the race in safekeeping with fully 600m remaining. A dirt debutant trained by Saeed bin Suroor, the homebred Medaglia D’Oro 4YO gelding ran five times in Britain, thrice finishing second, including on his previous start, his sole all-weather outing, in a 2000m handicap at Chelmsford. Unraced as a juvenile, that was also his first start since being gelded.

The concluding Lincoln Aviator, a 1600m dirt handicap, looked competitive on paper and so it proved with most of the 12 runners still in contention entering the final 300m. Rich And Famous led from the outset but was collared about 75m from home by Fabrice Veron, partnering Celtic Prince for Rashed Bouresly.

Article curated from press release by Dubai Racing Club/ Emirates Racing