Ed Marnane
Simon and Ed Crisford, the successful father and son training partnership, have found Dubai a happy hunting ground and Strobe can give them their first winner of the season in the 1400m conditions race on dirt at Meydan on Friday.
Owned by Rabbah Racing, Strobe began his career in the USA with top trainer Brad Cox and was a useful performer, winning four times, all on dirt. He caught the eye in a competitive handicap on his British debut, off a 387-day break, for the Crisford’s at Kempton last month, just failing to see off the late challenge of unexposed Heathcliff having jumped smartly and raced prominently.
By top US dirt sire Into Mischief, Strobe is well treated by the weights and will take plenty of beating on his UAE debut.
Race 2, the 1200m conditions race for juveniles, has attracted a small field of five, in which recent Meydan winner Dark Saffron looks to follow up under 2.5kg penalty for trainer Ahmad bin Harmash.
He impressed in a maiden at Meydan under a fine-front running ride from Conor Beasley, slamming African Candy and five others. He demands plenty of respect.
Champion trainer Bhupat Seemar holds a strong hand in the event, saddling three runners with stable jockey Tadhg O’Shea choosing to ride unraced Military Order. The US-bred colt has shown promise in two barrier trials at Meydan, is by exciting young sire Volatile and cost connections $125,000 (R2.2m) at Fasig-Tipton in May. He looks Dark Saffron’s chief threat and holds strong claims.
O’Shea and Seemar team up with lightly raced Imperial Emperor in Race 5, the 1600m handicap. A winner on his Meydan dirt debut last month, he made a good impression winning a 13-runner handicap on his first start since leaving Charlie Appleby after changing hands at the Racing In Dubai Sale in March.
By Dubawi, the top sire in the UAE, he’s held in high regard and rates the best bet on the card.
Killer Collect, trained by Seemar, began the season in style winning a minor event at Meydan, when seeing off the Michael Costa-trained pair, Gaassid and Gabooll, on his first start in 273 days.
Winner of the Al Bastikiya Stakes (Listed), the middle leg of the Dubai Triple Crown, last season, Tadhg O’Shea’s mount is the horse to beat and can prove too strong for the reopposing Gaassid and Mendelssohn Bay, winner of the UAE 2000 Guineas in February, who is returning from a break.
Race 4, the 1400m handicap, is very competitive and luck in running will play an important role with a maximum field of 16 declared. Matloob, trained by Costa, made an immediate impact on his local debut in a handicap at Meydan seven days ago. Ridden by Ben Coen, he made the running but was unable to see off Onight and Gamekeeper in a very close finish.
He’s entitled to strip fitter for the race having been off the track 470 days.
From an inside draw, he should go well provided he has fully recovered from a hard race last Friday.
Nyaar, trained by Doug Watson, met trouble in running and endured a trouble passage behind Matloob, his first run of the campaign. A winner (made all) at Meydan in February, he commands respect under Pat Dobbs.
Of the rest, Maputo makes most appeal. He comes in good form, finishing second to subsequent Meydan winner Ezaj at Sharjah having previously run third behind Tolmount at Meydan on his seasonal debut.
Maputo, trained by Seemar, has a wide draw to defy, which tempers enthusiasm.
Fawzi Nass has had a poor start to the season and is 0-15 for the campaign. Tactical Bound showed a decent level of ability in five outings last season, highlighted by his creditable third behind Killer Collect in the Al Bastikiya Stakes.
Rated 93, he sets the standard in the 2000m maiden, Race 6. He holds sound claims of giving Nass a welcome winner.
In a race not many count, Cupid’s Dream is worthy of a mention. By Dubawi, he has joined in-form Musabbeh Al Mheiri after being sold at the Tattersalls July Sale. He ran well in two starts for Charlie Appleby, the most recent when third at Wolverhampton in February.
He wasn’t beaten far on his racecourse debut at Kempton 12 months ago, form which got a significant boost with the winner, Matsuri, going on to finish a close fourth in the Irish Derby.
Best Bet: 1 Imperial Emperor (Race 5)
Best Value: 9 Mayaadeen (Race 4)
Best Swinger: 8 Strobe and 5 Raaeb (Race 7)
JACKPOT
(Races 5-8)
R36
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 5, 9, 10
Leg 3: 4, 5, 7, 8
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3