Dubai Thursday 11 February 2010

I'm not a punter at all, but I still can do without half the rubbish they throw at us. Do we need the Ngong PA or Wetherby jackpot perm up for what seems an eternity? And no, I don't get the UK racing channels. Tellytrack or bust, is my range of options.

Great run from Herman Browns runner...


Frozen Fire is a Rogue!!

Well my luck continues.

I had a bog double going onto Mourilyan......

OOOOOOPPPSSS.

Thanks God i thought i was going blind

Love the South african flag blinkers rocks off has on.....

Viva!!!!

Magic, try getting on to www.betfair.com . You can sign up and watch most racing pretty much "live"

Newturf,

Any news on the filly in the first at Fairview tomorrw?

Tommy, she is a very little filly with a huge heart from mom and dad. We feel she is about 80% fit but with the run still feel that she can win unless there is something above average in the newcomers

Thanks for the news Newturf.

All the best with your runners tomorrow!!

War Artist shows great change of gear at Meydan

Report: UAE, Thursday

Meydan

WAR ARTIST bounced back from a disappointing run in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint with a comprehensive victory on his first start at Meydan in the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint.

Gayego, fourth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, was all the rage before the race, but the even-money favourite could not get on terms and was beaten two and three-quarter lengths into second.

The Godolphin hope, held up at the rear of the field, never got into the race and had no answer to the smart acceleration shown by the James Eustace-trained 7-2 winner.

Connections of War Artist were convinced their star sprinter would need the run and he looks one to follow at thecarnival after showing a blistering turn of foot under Olivier Peslier.

Rupert Plersch, owner of War Artist, said: “He needed the run but we have the right trainer and he has been so patient. The horse had colic last year and was dying, James has done a great job.”

Newmarket-based Eustace said: “I’m delighted, I thought he would need the run. Hong Kong was not him and it’s great to see him come back to form.”

Halicarnassus digs deep under tactical Munro ride

HALICARNASSUS was given a canny ride by Alan Munro to hold the late challenge of Mourilyan by a short head in the 1m4f handicap at Meydan.


The Mick Channon-trained globetrotter was second on his first start at Meydan two weeks ago and showed all his battling qualities to go one place better.

Munro set a sedate early pace before quickening the tempo from the front and the 9-1 winner looked like scoring comfortably at the furlong marker, but had to dig deep as Mourilyan (11-2) delivered his challenge down the wide outside.

Munro said: “It was always going to be tactical and he loved being out in front. The turf course is riding lovely.”

Pan River strikes for Turkey in the finale

PAN RIVER (Ayhan Kaysar/Selim Kaya), second to Halicarnassus in the Group 2 Bosphorus Cup in September, ran out a convincing winner of the final race at Meydan on Friday.

The 5-1 chance was always well placed in the 1m1f turf event and showed a nice change of pace to win from Lucky Find and Shaweel.

A multiple Group 1 winner in his native Turkey, the five-year-old was having his first run at Meydan and was well supported prior to the off.

Golden Sword faded in the closing stages after making the early running.

Godolphin second string Siyaadah a 50-1 shocker

Report: UAE, Thursday

Meydan: UAE 1,000 Guineas (Listed) 1m, AW, 3yo fillies

THE Dubai Classic season kicked off with a massive shock as unconsidered 50-1 shot Siyaadah swamped her UAE 1,000 Guineas rivals in the final 50 yards.

Godolphin trainer Saeed Bin Suroor was winning the race for the seventh time with the daughter of Darley stallion Shamardal, ridden byAhmed Ajtebi and seemingly thought to be very much the second string behind well-fancied Ishitaki under Frankie Dettori.

Ishitaki was unplaced, however, as Siyaadah - whose only previous win in three starts came in a Redcar maiden - swept down the outside four wide to grab French-trained Ayun Tara (12-1) and Berg Bahn (25-1).

The Mike de Kock-trained favourite Raihana faded to fourth in the final furlong after getting a dream run up the inner and hitting the front in the Meydan straight.

A delighted Ajtebi said: "To be honest it is not that big a surprise to me. She was working like a machine at home and her form was good in England.

"I was drawn wide, so I gave her every chance and everything went well for me. When I asked her to go she just took off and never stopped."

Siyaadah's victory completed a Bin Suroor treble after earlier victories from Mendip and Highland Glen.

Second win at Meydan for Lizard's Desire

THE even-money favourite Lizard's Desire, a winner at Meydan's opening meeting last month for trainer Mike de Kock, repeated the dose with a stylish performance in the 1m2f all-weather handicap.

Christophe Soumillon, riding his fifth winner at the carnival, sent the four-year-old for home early in the straight before scoring by just over two lengths from Godolphin's Soy Libriano under Frankie Dettori.

Soy Libriano's stablemate Burdlaz took third after meeting trouble in running.

The winning jockey said: "He feels even fitter now and we always had a good position. I only had a length to make up in the straight."

Dettori completes double with Highland Glen

FRANKIE DETTORI moved to the top of the Dubai Carnival jockeys' table when he completed a double on Thursday as Highland Glen came with a powerful rally to take the 1m3f all-weather handicap.


Dettori, partnering his fifth winner of the 2010 carnival, and trainer Saeed Bin Suroor had also taken the opener with Mendip.

A quirky four-year-old son of Montjeu formerly owned by the Queen and trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Highland Glen did not seem to settle in the early stages, racing keenly under Dettori.

But the 9-2 chance strode out readily in the straight for an emphatic victory over the luckless Monte Alto, placed for the third week running at Meydan after wearing down Lion Sands to take second place under Richard Hills.

Suroor said: "He is an interesting prospect who goes on Tapeta and turf and stays further than this."

Princess Haya on mark with Escape Route

AFTER playing up at the start, former John Gosden-trained Escape Route (Satish Seemar/Richard Mullen) found a good turn of foot in the straight for a decisive victory in the 7f Tapeta handicap.

Luca Cumani's 13-8 favourite Swop came between horses to take second, a length and a quarter back under Kieren Fallon, with Ireland's Palazzone third at 8-1.

Escape Route, a 12-1 shot, was pulled to the outside by Richard Mullen on turning into the straight before overwhelming his rivals with a long, steady run.

He was a first carnival winner this year for jockey, trainer and owner Princess Haya.

His jockey said: "He is a versatile horse with regards to trip and underfoot conditions. He quickened nicely when I asked and was always holding on."

First blood for Dettori on well-backed Mendip

FRANKIE DETTORI made the right choice from no fewer than five Godolphin runners in the opener at Meydan on Thursday when Kempton winner Mendip doubled his tally in a 7f conditions race on the all-weather.

The three-year-old son of Harlan's Holiday, a well-backed 11-8 favourite in Britain, sat just off a searching pace before being sent on in the straight, getting first run on the fast-finishing Uncle Tom, another ex-Brazilian now representing France's Pascal Bary.

Mendip held on by a half-length from Uncle Tom (12-1), who had to be switched out from a pocket on the rail before a late charge.

Winning trainer Saeed Bin Suroor said: "He is an improving young horse but we have no ambitious plans as yet.

"Hopefully he will build on this but we will take our time and next week's UAE 2,000 Guineas will come too soon, I think."

Happy Dubai, ridden by Royston Ffrench, battled on bravely for third at odds of 33-1.

Tommy_Hotspur Wrote:

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> Love the South african flag blinkers rocks off has
> on.....
>
> Viva!!!!
>
>
Those blinkers were the only good thing about Rocks Off. He has been a real flop over there.