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| Staff Writer |
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The inaugural edition of the Dubai Racing Carnival kicked off at Meydan Racecourse on Friday, accompanied by a flurry of doubles. However, there was no doubt that the headline act stole the show.
At Dubai's premier racing venue, three trainers emerged victorious on the eight-race card, with Bhupat Seemar and Michael Costa among them. However, Musabbeh Al Mheiri stole the spotlight thanks to a historic double that helped him surpass the 500-winner mark in the UAE. The momentous achievement came when El Nasseeb, ridden by Bernardo Pinheiro, easily dispatched his rivals in the 1200m Emirates Holidays maiden for juveniles. Pinheiro and El Nasseeb surged ahead in the final stretch, finishing an impressive seven-and-a-quarter lengths ahead of Gaassid, trained by Costa and ridden by Ben Coen.
But the Emirati handler was not yet done, as he earned his 501st win of his career when Qareeb, a two-time course and distance winner, surged ahead under a brilliant ride from Al Moatasem Al Balushi to defeat Vasilakos, trained by Bin Harmash and ridden by Gabriele Malune, in the Emirates Skywards handicap in the final moments of the race.
“It’s brilliant to have reached the landmark of 500 wins, but it’s all down to the team we have at the stables and the riders that have been part of the operation and the owners that have helped me by putting their trust in me and giving me their horses to train so it’s just all round nice to have got to the mark,” a delighted Al Mheiri said.
While some trainers recorded multiple wins, there were also two owners who celebrated doubles: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Touch Gold Racing. Additionally, Tadhg O'Shea, an 11-time UAE Champion Jockey, also had a successful day. However, the trainer-jockey combination representing Zabeel Racing of Seemar and O'Shea stole the headlines with a double in the co-feature events sponsored by Emirates. Both victories were for Touch Gold Racing, as Western Symphony won the mile handicap (85-105), and Leading Spirit won the 1200m sprint handicap (80-100).
In the mile handicap, Western Symphony sat behind the pace set by Echo Point, who led the field into the straight. O'Shea then urged the horse to pick up the pace and win by a length and a half ahead of Seyouff, driven by Omani apprentice Qais Al Busaidi and trained by Costa for Sheikh Ahmed. Laasudood, another Seemar trainee, finished third. Leading Spirit had a similar success in the handicap, as the horse engaged in a stretch duel with Fast Uno before pulling ahead and winning by a few lengths. Magic Petition, trained by Ahmad bin Harmash and ridden by Connor Beasley, posed a late threat but was unable to catch up.
“He (Western Symphony) jumps and he goes well and he gets the mile well,” O’Shea said. “It was his first race of the season and to be able to compete for the Group 2 Godolphin Mile he needs to progress a bit more, but seven furlongs or a mile is no problem for him.”
Al Jaddaf won the Emirates Sky Cargo handicap by a length-and-a-quarter from Aldhaja, ridden by Pinheiro. Perfect Balance came in third, ridden by O'Shea and trained by Seemar. Costa, the Australian conditioner and retained trainer for Sheikh Ahmed, continued his excellent form by winning the Arabian Adventures maiden (3yos) with Meshtri, ridden by James Orman.
The duo won a match race with Nevershow Weakness (O'Shea) by half a length, leaving Classic Medal, trained by Bin Harmash and ridden by Beasley, finishing third a long way behind. Costa and Sheikh Ahmed completed their doubles when Sadeedd, ridden by Ben Coen, won the emirates.com handicap by just under a length from Triple Venture, ridden by Beasley and trained by Bin Harmash.
Rookie handler Saif Al Marar's AF Yatwy won the only Purebred Arabian event on the card, the 1400m Emirates Sky Cargo handicap (0-95), by edging out AF Layth by a length, ridden by Oscar Chavez and trained by Ernst Oertel and Marcelino Rodrigues, respectively. Asmaa came in third, trained by Majed Al Jahoori and ridden by Pinheiro.