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| Staff Writer |
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Hilal Kobeissi secured his first overseas winner when Max Mayhem stormed home in the featured Spirit Flyback Handicap on the final night of the Dubai Racing Carnival.
The 7YO, making his fourth start of the Carnival, settled towards the rear in the 2410m contest before jockey Adrie de Vries delivered a perfectly timed challenge with 400m remaining to win by three and a half lengths from Valdivia.
"There was plenty of pace," said De Vries. "I was a bit worried when I lost my cover on the backside, but I was pretty confident once we turned home."
The race also marked a successful return for De Vries following injury.
"I clipped heels and had a bad fall a few weeks ago," he explained. "It was a very frustrating couple of weeks, I missed a few nice rides, but I'm lucky to be back so quickly. Everything seems fine."
For Newmarket-based Kobeissi, who previously ran a pre-training operation, it represented a significant milestone.
"That was a De Vries masterclass!" he said. "This is huge for our small team. We're a young set-up with big ambitions."
De Vries completed a quick double when Strobe took the very next race, the Master Collection Moon Phase Chronograph Handicap, over 1200m on dirt.
Simon and Ed Crisford's 6YO settled just behind the pace set by Sir Harmony and Smart System, before taking the lead in the straight and digging deep to hold off Deep Hope by half a length.
"There was a strong pace, and I was always in a nice position," said De Vries. "I always felt that the two in front would come back to me. He probably hit the front a little bit too soon and then kind of pulled up a little bit – I needed the line."
Championship leader Musabbeh Al Mheiri wasted little time getting on the scoresheet as Al Arbed justified favouritism in the 1600m Mini Dolce Vita Handicap under a positive ride from Danny Tudhope.
Positioned just behind the leaders early, Tudhope kicked home off the final turn and opened up a commanding lead. Although visibly tiring towards the finish, Al Arbed crossed the line a length ahead of stablemate Legend Of Cannes, with Moonshiner third.
"The trip was probably the main question mark, but he's been super consistent, and deserved to get his head in front this season," said Tudhope. "He travelled well, but I really did need the line. If I ride him again, I'll try to hold on to him a little bit longer."
Al Mheiri claimed a double when Al Shibli produced a brave front-running effort in the Master Collection Handicap over 1000m on turf, holding off Thunder Of Niagara and Markakol by half a length and a length and a quarter.
"He has won up the hill at Jebel Ali and last time he stayed with Tuz [in the Gr.3 Mahab Al Shimaal] the 400metres, so the ability is there," said winning rider Silvestre de Sousa. "Coming back to turf was beneficial to him and Musabbeh has his horses in great shape."
De Sousa moved to within two of Tadhg O'Shea at the top of the UAE Jockeys' Championship after completing his own double when Molaqab took the 1400m turf Conquest Handicap for trainer Michael Costa.
He beat Eye On The Prize by three-quarters of a length, staying on well through the line.
"The gate [11] helped him, being on the outside," said De Sousa. "It allowed him to jump well, and he got across in his own time and then travelled well."
Meanwhile, Ernst Oertel, fourth in the Trainers' Championship, struck when Classic City made it two in a row in the 2000m Legend Diver Handicap under Alexandre Da Silva, holding off Swedish raider Havandi by a length.
"I've been very lucky to find [Da Silva]," said Oertel. "He came to my yard, looking for a job and he's repaid us."
He added: "I thought he was the best horse in the race, but I was worried about the draw [14]. I liked that when he was challenged, he found more. I think we'll stay on the dirt now. It's not easy to find horses who love the dirt, and he seems to."
The night's most impressive winner was Dark Saffron, who sparked Dubai Golden Shaheen chatter when bolting up in the Spirit Zulu Conditions Stakes over 1200m on dirt.
Ridden by Connor Beasley for Ahmad Bin Harmash, the 3YO registered his second win with consummate ease, breaking well and scoring by seven and a quarter length from debutante Elusive Trevor, with Awab ten and a quarter length back in third.
"He gave me a very good feeling and he's done nothing wrong this season," said Beasley. "He won here and then we switched to the turf where he's been beaten by some good sprinters. It was a good option to switch back to the dirt and that was more like a piece of work to him. There were some pretty decent horses in behind, too."
He added: "He's got all summer to fill into his frame, so hopefully he'll be a proper sprinter next season."
"We have Sir Harmony and Dark Saffron, so that's why we moved Dark Saffron to the turf," added Bin Harmash. "If an invitation [for the Gr.1 Dubai Golden Shaheen] arrives we will probably go for it."
Bin Harmash and Beasley doubled up for owner Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi in the closing Conquest Chronograph Handicap when Million Doro broke his maiden, securing the rail from stall 15 to win by three and three-quarter lengths from Norato.
The opening La Grande Classique Handicap saw an all-grey thriller as Purebred Arabian AB Sacar narrowly outbattled AA RX Burn under Ray Dawson.
"I actually didn't know who got up, it was very close," said Dawson after his 21st winner of the season. "This lad came today in much better form than last time, when it was a bit of a head scratching run."
Meydan returns to action on Saturday, April 5 when the US$30.5million Dubai World Cup fixture takes centre stage.