 |
|
| Staff Writer |
 |
The Meydan Racecourse's inaugural event of the 2022/23 season has spared no effort in introducing the racing world to several promising young riders. After winning the opening 2YO Arabian Adventures maiden race from post position 11 with jockey Ray Dawson atop, Sharp Army has a legitimate shot at the UAE Classic in 2019. By defeating Nyaar by a length early on, the colt not only handed trainer Ahmad Bin Harmash his first win of the year, but also provided Sharp Azteca his first victory in the United Arab Emirates. Also during this season, former Uruguayan Champion Jockey Jose Da Silva won on his maiden ride at Meydan atop Upper Class, a 5YO who raced in the Emirates.com Handicap.
“It was a brilliant performance, we’re very happy for this horse,” said Julio Olascoaga, Assistant to winning trainer Antonio Cintra. “Finally, he’s shown us what he’s capable of here. This is the potential he showed back in Uruguay.”
Doug Watson saddled the top two finishers in the inaugural maiden event, and he improved on that performance in the second race, the Emirates SkyCargo Handicap. Al Nayyir, in only his fourth start, took over for stablemate Qareeb when the latter faltered and won by three lengths under Pat Cosgrave's guidance, easily defeating Karnavaal. For trainer Osama Refai, Road Bloc was a pleasant surprise in the Emirates Holidays Maiden, which is for horses aged three and up. The Street Sense gelding, ridden by Antonio Fresu, evidently enjoyed Meydan despite being a $220,000 yearling who was soundly defeated in his lone US outing on turf. The 4YO Western Symphony, ridden by Tadhg O'Shea for Champion Trainer Bhupat Seemar, was one of the night's most remarkable victors, defeating Tahdeed by five and a half lengths in the Emirates Skywards Handicap.
When Al Maroom and Pitcher's Point squared off in the Emirates Airline Handicap, the unmistakable gold silks of Western Symphony's owners, Al Rashid Racing, were shortly back in the Winner's Enclosure. On the fourth try, O'Shea narrowly beat out Pitcher's Point to win the UAE account. With his easy victory in the Emirates Airline Handicap, Salem Bin Ghadayer is off to a great start. 5YO performs best when given the opportunity to take the lead, and that's exactly what he got under Royston Ffrench, as he rounded the final turn with plenty of steam and defeated Twelthofneverland by five and three-quarter lengths. Jockey Royston Ffrench is anticipating a strong showing from the gelding owned by HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum following a brief rest. This Friday, November 18th, Meydan Racecourse hosts its second event of the year.