Ed Marnane
Racing returns at Meydan with a seven-race card, all on dirt, on Friday, highlighted by Race 1, the first two-year-old race of the season.
Bhupat Seemar, the top trainer at Meydan last season, holds a strong hand in the 1200m event, saddling six of the 11 runners. Stable jockey Tadhg O’Shea rides Morning, an $85,000 (R1.5m) purchase at Ocala in April, in the silks of prominent owner Naser Asker. By leading US sire Munnings out of an unraced Birdstone mare, he boasts a dirt pedigree, and it looks highly significant the Irish rider has chosen to ride the colt.
Doug Watson made a fine start to the new season, saddling three winners at Jebel Ali on Saturday, and introduces Nyaar, another son of Munnings out of Huntress Helena, a mare that was a multiple winner on dirt.
Nyaar cost his owner’s, Al Rashid Stables, $355,000 (R6.4m) at OBS Sales in Florida earlier in the year and has the assistance of Pat Dobbs.
Salem bin Ghadayer has a decent record with his juveniles at Meydan and is represented by Mr Precocious, the mount of Royston Ffrench, a veteran of the UAE circuit with over 300 wins in the Emirates.
By Bernardini, he cost connections €160,00 (R2.8m) at the Goresbridge breeze-up sales and is out of two-time winner and stakes placed Bella Flour. He caught the eye in his breeze and hails from a yard that has made respectable start to the season.
Russian Standard, a colt by US Triple Crown winner and Breeders’ Cup Classic hero American Pharoah, has the benefit of a run having run third of five over 1600m on dirt in Moscow two months ago, finishing nearly 10 lengths behind the winner.
It’s impossible to know what the form is worth, but trainer Pavel Vashchenko sent out Azure Coast to win last season’s UAE 2000 Guineas, and it would be unwise to rule him out.
Australian trainer Michael Costa made a big impact with his first runners at Jebel Ali on Saturday, winning the feature with Mouheeb before Yojaari gave him a quick double thirty minutes later.
Now training for Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum at Jebel Ali racecourse, he relies on Kal Barg, and he merits obvious respect under stable jockey Jean van Overmeire.
The second maiden, run over 1400m, sees US import Happy Hepo make his local debut for champion trainer Bhupat Seemar. Off the track since finishing fifth in a maiden at Churchill Downs in May last year, he has only raced three times and should have more to offer.
Watson’s Sari Dubai showed plenty of promise in three appearances last season, signing off in the Al Bastikiya (Listed) when beaten less than seven lengths by the winner Quality Boone.
Rated 88, he looks the one to beat over a track he’s proven in the hands of Pat Dobbs.
Of the others, Triple Venture makes most appeal, ahead of Costa-trained pair Waathig and Nayafeh. By Elusive Quality, he’s a consistent performer and produced his best effort over the course when chasing home Zero To Hundred on his racecourse debut on the corresponding race 12 months ago, keeping on nicely in the closing stages to finish less than three lengths behind the winner.
The pick of the handicaps is Race 7 over 1200m. Upper Class, a four-time winner on dirt in South America, has tumbled in the ratings since arriving in the UAE and from a good draw, he makes plenty of appeal stepping down in grade on his seasonal debut for trainer Antonio Cintra.
In a wide-open looking contest, top-weight Vasari holds sound claims. Trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, he has shown a liking for Meydan’s main track, winning a handicap over the course and distance on his seasonal reappearance 12 months ago.
He has a good record returning from break and his trainer found Meydan a happy hunting ground last season.
Riding arrangements suggest Batraan, the mount of Van Overmeire, is the main hope of Costa’s two runners. Formerly trained in the UK by Roger Varian, he was a consistent sprinter, winning three times and only finishing out of the frame three times in 11 starts.
The switch to dirt off a lengthy break is an obvious concern, and it is slightly disconcerting that first-time blinkers are fitted.
Costa has booked Pat Dobbs to ride Nibraas, a lightly raced son of Uncle Mo. A winner at Abu Dhabi in January, he’s proven under the conditions and having only had six lifetime starts is open to plenty of improvement.
Dukedom, trained by Seemar, is an interesting on his local/dirt debut having been sold at the July Sale in Newmarket to race in the Emirates. He made all when opening his account over 1200m at Leicester four months ago, showing a likeable attitude to narrowly prevail in a driving finish.
By Dubawi, the most successful sire on Meydan’s dirt track, he warrants respect if primed and ready to strike after his break.
Only seven have been declared for Race 6, the 1950m handicap. In a competitive event, racecourse specialists Book Review, George Villiers, New Trails and Twelfthofneverland all enter calculations, with preference for the last-named.
Trained by Seemar, he has fine strike-rate at Meydan, winning half of his six races. The booking of apprentice Connor Planas, who claims a 3 kg allowance, should see him remain competitive off a stiff mark. He gets the vote to notch his fourth victory in the Emirates.
BEST BET
Race 5 No 2 Down On Da Bayou
BEST VALUE
Race 1 No 9 Russian Standard
BEST SWINGER
Race 7 1-Vasari and 2-Upper Class
JACKPOT
(Races 4 to 7)
R72
Leg 1: 4, 6, 8
Leg 2: 1, 2, 6
Leg 3: 1, 3, 5
Leg 4: 3