Meshtri chases Al Maktoum Mile at Meydan

Ed Marnane

Racing in the Emirates cranks up a gear with Festive Friday, a quality card at Meydan Racecourse and an early Christmas treat for punters. It should be a cracking meeting to enjoy at Dubai’s iconic track.

Race 5, the Al Maktoum Mile, has drawn a small but select field of six for the Group 2 event and the most interesting runner is Juddmonte-owned Artorius, now under the care of Bhupat Seemar.

Formerly trained in the USA by Chad Brown, who had a high opinion of the horse, he won three of his 11 starts, including the Curlin Stakes (Listed) at Saratoga in 2022. Sporting the same silks as Dubai World Cup winner Laurel River, he has fitness concerns, off a 162-day break, and is best watched on his UAE debut under Tadhg O’Shea.

Meshtri, trained by Michael Costa, comes fit and well after causing a minor shock in the Dubai Creek Mile (Listed) four weeks ago. He showed a likeable attitude when battling on strongly to get the better of Walk Of Stars. He is a lightly raced colt that has more to offer.

Clapton, who ran well in the final two legs of the Al Maktoum Challenge in January for Chad Summers, has joined Doug Watson and is having his first run of the season. Rated 108, Clapton is the highest rated runner in the field and from a yard going well, he commands respect.

Watson has a good record in the Al Maktoum Mile, winning three of the last five renewals.

Race 2, the Ertijaal Dubai Dash (Listed), the first turf race of the card, sees Czech champion sprinter Ponntos return to the Middle East to defend his title in the 1000m turf sprint.

By Power, he is blessed with tremendous early speed and has the advantage of an inside draw next to the rails. He has been contesting many of Europe’s major sprints this summer and dropping in grade, he will take plenty of catching under Pat Cosgrave.

The pick of the home challenge is unexposed Bilhayl, trained by Costa for owner Sheikh Ahmad Al Maktoum. Second in last year’s renewal behind Ponntos, he is suited by the conditions and is unlikely to lack for fitness on his first start since finishing a creditable fourth behind Hong Kong’s California Spangle in the Al Quoz Sprint in March.

In a race where not many count, Cover Up is one to consider on his local debut for Simon and Ed Crisford. He was a useful sprint handicapper in the UK, winning five of his 14 races, for John and Thady Gosden. A strong-travelling type, he has his quirks but shouldn’t be dismissed, despite having plenty to find on the official ratings.

It’s hard to oppose Arigatou Gozaimasu in Race 3, the Shahama Stakes over 1400m on dirt, and key local trial for the Cocoa Stakes next month.

Trained by Salem bin Ghadayer, she created a big impression on her racecourse debut last month, running out a facile winner of a maiden under Bernardino Pinheiro, bin Ghadayer’s stable jockey. She made all and never looked in trouble, crossing the line 8.50 lengths ahead of Flama Sunshine, who renews rivalry and is one of five fillies representing Seemar.

Jamie Osborne, who enjoyed success with promising juvenile Heart Of Honor at Meydan last week, runs Secret Combination who merits respect in a race where not many appeal. She shaped nicely when winning on her debut at Chelmsford in October and is bred for dirt, being by Maximum Security out of a Stormalina, a US dirt winner.

She is open to further improvement and has the assistance of Adrie de Vries, who has a good strike-rate teaming up with Osborne.

Charlie-Appleby-trained Measured Time, the mount of William Buick, can make a winning return in the Al Rashidiya Stakes, a race Appleby has won four of the last five runnings.

The son of Frankel, winner of two of his three runs at Meydan, is back in the UAE after a stint in the US and will hard to beat. He’s the class horse of the field. I don’t expect a 1 kilo penalty will stop the four-year-old on his first start in four months.

Appleby has a terrific record with unexposed horses in handicaps on grass at Meydan and Royal Power fits that profile in Race 8, the 2410m handicap on turf.

Owned and bred by Godolphin, the son of Frankel was narrowly beaten by Involvement in a valuable three-year-old handicap at Newmarket in July. He’s open to plenty of improvement stepping up in distance and will be hard to beat on his first run since being gelded. He rates the best bet on the card.

Race 4, the Business Bay Challenge, won 12 months ago by Vafortino, sees Godolphin launch a strong challenge, with three of the 13 runners. Native Approach, trained by Appleby, makes most appeal of the trio under William Buick.

Unraced at two, he arrives in the UAE with an unexposed profile, restricted to just three appearances in 2024. An impressive winner at Kempton in February, he pulled too hard in the Craven Stakes and trailed in a poor fifth behind Haatem, beaten eight lengths. Gelded since his flop at Newmarket, he can get his career back on track and give Appleby his first victory in the Listed race.

San Donato, now sporting the silks of Sheikh Ahmad Al Maktoum, is a leading hope on his seasonal debut for new trainer Costa. Formerly trained by Watson for Sheikh Obaid Al Maktoum, he enjoyed a productive campaign last season, winning the Zabeel Mile and finishing in the frame in the Jebel Hatta and Singspiel Stakes, all at Meydan. He rounded off his season when beaten five lengths in the Dubai Turf, arguably a personal-best.

He’s one to consider in the hands of Ben Coen from a yard that historically have them primed and ready to rock off a layoff.

Best Bet: Race 8 No 2 Royal Power

Best Value: Race 9 No 5 Mr Kafoo

Best Swinger: Race 8: 2 Royal Power and 8 Asaassi

JACKPOT

(Races 6-9)

R32

Leg 1: 1, 4

Leg 2: 1, 2, 9, 10

Leg 3: 2

Leg 4: 2, 4, 5, 6