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| Rowan Anderson |
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When former Gold Coast-based trainer Michael Costa decided to take up the role of head trainer for Jebel Ali stables he knew he had some potential stars in the stable.
Overnight at Meydan, his rising star Mouheeb proved his ability as a genuine sprinter taking out the Listed Garhoud Sprint.
At the start of the season Costa told Ten Furlongs that he was impressed with the 4YO son of Flatter’s willingness to train and campaign strongly.
“Mouheeb was a horse we brought back after he had three runs last season, and they were able to stretch him out, but he looks like a genuine sprinter. He has really improved, and we will see how he performs against Stakes level company,” he said.
The colt did exactly that over the 1200m feature in Listed company beating home the Bhupat Seemar trained Tuz by one and a half lengths.
Facing a tough field that included Group 3 winners Canvassed and Al Tariq, Mouheeb ridden by Ray Dawson tracked the leaders and powered away well at the finish, beating Tuz under Tadhg O’Shea.
Mouheeb now adds the win to a career that has seen him win the Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas last year.
“He’s a beautiful animal to sit on; a right beast of a horse,” jockey Dawson said.
“He reminds me of [Group 3 winner] Eastern World last year in that he’s got lots of speed, but you can take him back and you know he’ll finish well. When a horse kicks clear in these kinds of races, it’s a good sign.”
This is his second win while trained by Costa and is sure to be one that the trainer will not forget anytime soon.
The win was part of a triple for the trainer who registered his first win in Meydan in race three with Tahdeed taking out the Mina Hamriya Handicap.
The 4YO gelding had not won since January but showed that he relishes that track and distance winning by close to two lengths off the back of a handy ride from Dane O’Neill.
The son of 2015 Godolphin Mile winner Tamarkuz had won his maiden on turf at Meydan, but this was his first victory on dirt after O’Neill covered ground to hunt down leader Down On Da Bayou, who had led for most of the trip.
This marked the jockey’s 170th win in the UAE and he was thankful for the ride despite it coming due to stable jockey Jean Van Overmeire currently being suspended.
“Michael and Jean both gave me a good assessment of this horse before the race, so it wasn’t like sitting on one for the first time. We settled in off a nice pace and got a good run through and he picked up nicely in the straight,” he said.
Antonio Fresu piloted home Seyouff for the final leg of the triple in the Mirdif Stakes with the colt coming off a second-place finish last start a fortnight ago.
Meydan Racecourse now takes a week off, resuming on Friday, 23rd December, when the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial and the Listed Entisar Stakes feature races will be held.
By Rowan Anderson