Mawj Stars on All Stakes Carnival Card
Nine races all have Pattern Status on ‘Fashion Friday’
Horses from six counties clash on the all-Stakes card which features three Group 1s and Mawj (pictured) faces eight rivals in the G1 Jebel Hatta [Presented by Longines], race seven. In fine form since winning twice at last year’s Carnival, the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained filly added the G1 Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Keeneland to her top-level exploits and missed out on winning the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile by a nose.
Welcome back, MAWJ! 🌊
The dual G1 winner is one of 10 entries for the G1 Jebel Hatta on Friday!
Entries: https://t.co/gOO130QXte pic.twitter.com/bShCARzq1i
— Dubai Racing Club (@RacingDubai) January 22, 2024
“Mawj arrived in Dubai after the Breeders’ Cup and had a bit of an easy time,” said Bin Suroor, who last won this race in 2019 with Dream Castle. “She’s doing well and I’m happy with her. After this the plan is the Dubai Turf and then we will take her back to Europe.”
Jockey Oisin Murphy flies in from Miami to take the ride and added: “Mawj had a brilliant year last year and won over a similar distance at Keeeneland. She seems to be nicely drawn in the middle and I’m really looking forward to coming over to ride her.”
Doug Watson’s San Donato looked very good in winning the G2 Zabeel Mile last time out and he steps up in trip here, as does El Patriota, third to him that day. The six-year-old is trained by Julio Olascoaga who said: “He earned the chance to run this race after his good result last time out. The opposition cannot be stronger but we’re confident he will continue to run big.”
An international line-up includes the Richard Fahey-trained Spirit Dancer, winner of the G2 Bahrain Trophy in November, while the exciting Measured Time, a facile winner over course and distance last time out, looks the pick of three in the race for Charlie Appleby, who also runs Highland Avenue and Ottoman Fleet.
The day’s official feature is the AED3.6million G1 Maktoum Challenge, a prep race for the Dubai World Cup on March 30th. Trainer Chad Summers has a perfect record at Meydan Racecourse thanks to two Dubai Golden Shaheen wins with Mind Your Biscuits and he saddles Grade 2 Lukas Classic winner Clapton, the mount of Antonio Fresu, who was last seen in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“We think that maybe he didn’t like being on the inside,” said Summers of the eleventh place showing at Santa Anita. “When he’s inside horses he feels like he’s running in quicksand. He’s such a big horse that we’d like him to really get into his rhythm and if we lose a little bit of ground, that’s OK.
“We hope they’ll go an honest enough pace. First Constitution should make the pace and hopefully that will set it up for us to come with a big run. We’re adding blinkers for this race, too.”
The sole Group 1 winner in the race is Atletico El Culano, who warmed up for this with a narrow victory over the re-opposing Military Law in the Listed Entisar Stakes. He breaks from post 12, but trainer Olascoaga is hopeful of another big run.
“He’s doing well after his win in The Entisar,” he said. “Jockey and regular rider Jose Da Silva is happy the way he’s going in these last weeks. It will be all about the pace and timing for his run in the end.”
One of the most exciting runners is Watson’s Kabirkhan, who returns two weeks after his impressive handicap success on local debut, while Mimi Kakushi is the only filly in the race, for trainer Salem Bin Ghadayer.
Appleby to Storm the Fort Again?
Appleby has won the G2 Al Fahidi Fort a record seven times and the Godolphin handler runs Mysterious Night and Majestic Pride in the 1400metre turf contest.
Up against them are two Group 1 winners, including King Gold, winner of the Prix Maurice du Gheest for trainer Nicholas Caullery.
KING OF DEAUVILLE!
King Gold 👑 wins the Prix Maurice Du Gheest! A breakthrough G1 for @NCaullery 👏
— World Horse Racing (@WHR) August 6, 2023
“He’s settled in really well to Dubai again,” said Marine Henry, trainer’s wife and assistant. “He’s worked a few times on the racetrack and worked well. The jockey is a French jockey [Stephane Pasquier] and we know him really well.
“This isn’t a main objective for him – we’re not expecting him to win – but we’re hoping to run well.”
King Gold’s fellow top level scorer is Danyah, winner of the Al Quoz Sprint in March, who was beaten last time in the Business Bay Challenge by Vafortino, who represents British-based Belgian trainer Kevin Phillipart De Foy.
“Vafortino is a course and distance winner back in December and has been in very good form since his win,” he said. “This is the strongest race of his career and he’ll need to run a career best to be competitive but I have been happy with his preparation.”
The Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint, race four, over 1200metres on dirt, is an early pointer towards the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen.
Six-year-old Laurel River won his last three starts in the USA, back in 2022, for trainer Bob Baffert and is the first runner for owners Juddmonte to be saddled by trainer Bhupat Seemar.
“He is doing really well,” said Seemar of the Grade 2 winner. “This looks a good place to start him as he hasn’t run for a while.”
Best of his eight rivals could be Colour Up, who finished third two weeks ago in the G3 Dubawi Stakes, despite some trouble in running.
“He got bumped around during the last two runs,” said owner Sayed Hashish. “We hope he gets a smoother trip and if he does we believe he can finish well.’
A spot ahead of Colour Up last time was Seemar’s Leading Spirit, who has been a revelation since joining owners Touch Gold Racing, winning three times.
“Leading Spirit is having a great season,” said Touch Gold founder Mike Kaye. “Each run has been slightly better than the last and his last run was a career-best, on the clock.
“I think he has some sort of chance here, although there are obviously two highly rated horses in there who haven’t run yet this season. They might have a class edge, but we should have a fitness edge. It’s amazing how Zabeel [Stables] get these older sprinters to keep improving.”
Classy Euros Clash in Blue Point
The G2 Blue Point Sprint [Presented by Longines], over 1000metres on turf, looks a fascinating race and features seven Europeans. They include Clarendon House, trained by UK ‘Sprint King’ Robert Cowell, who has won his last three starts.
Different class! Clarendon House powers to victory for PJ McDonald, @cowellracing and @MprUpdates in the feature sprint at @Southwell_Races…
— Sky Sports Racing (@SkySportsRacing) December 21, 2023
“It looks like it’s a competitive race,” said the British handler, who struck at the Carnival in 2012 with Monsieur Joe. “There’s a bit of speed in there and some horses with snazzy ratings like him.
“It he can transfer what he did on the All Weather to grass, then I think it will suit him very well. I think the fast ground and plenty of pace will be ideal, it’s whether he’s good enough to bridge this gap between handicaps and Stakes races.”
Among his rivals is Equality, who is trained by William Knight and who carries the silks of syndicate Kennet Valley.
“It looks perfect for Equality,” said Sam Hoskins, Syndicate Manager. “Although as we saw last year, anything can happen in a race like this!
“On ratings, he should be right up there, but it is his first run after a break and he’s probably fit enough to do himself justice but whether he’ll be quite 100 per cent is another matter. If he can switch off and race sensibly early on he should run a good race.”
The 13-strong field also includes Appleby’s Star Of Mystery, an impressive winner over 1200metres two weeks ago, while Czech raider Ponntos has a course and distance win on his resume, as does three-time Meydan winner Equilateral.
The second race is the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes [Presented by Longines], over 1600metres, which has a European dirt runner when Fort Payne lines up for Caullery.
“It’s his first time on the dirt but he did well on the Polytrack at home,” said assistant Henry. “He’s a good horse, an easy horse to travel and has a good draw and a good jockey so I will say, Insh’allah!”
Touch Gold run Western Symphony, a winner two starts ago over course and distance before finishing fourth over 1900metres in The Entisar.
“The form of his handicap win looks to have worked out well,” said Managing Owner Mike Kaye. “If he can run that race and maybe find a bit of improvement he definitely has a chance here.”
History to Repeat in Guineas?
Eight three-year-old colts clash in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas [Presented by Longines], race eight. They include two for Olascoaga, who has booked dual Dubai World Cup-winning rider Christophe Soumillon to partner Oasis Boy, a winner of two of his three starts in Argentina. He is by Asiatic Boy, winner of this race in 2007.
“He ticks all the boxes for what we like to see of a three-year-old that travels from South America,” said the trainer of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum homebred. “We are honored to have our first runner in colours with such history in UAE.”
Olascoaga also runs Quartier, a late closing second to Ma Yetal in the prep for this race. “He pulled up well after his effort in the trial and we’ve just continued with maintenance work between races,” he said. “We believe 200 extra metres should be no problem and will suit him.”
Racing begins at 5:30pm with a pulsating edition of the G1 Maktoum Challenge R2 [Presented by Longines] for Purebred Arabians. It features two Dubai Kahayla Classic winners, with Deryan and First Classs taking on a full field of 16.
