Championship and Ertijaal triumph as two Meydan track records fall at Dubai World Cup Carnival

There were four high-class Group races on the card at the latest Dubai World Cup Carnival meeting, headlined by the 1600 metre Group 2 Zabeel Mile in which Championship won in a course record time.

Having been an impressive winner of the 1400 metre Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort a month, the Ahmad bin Harmash-trained Championship was penalised for that success but that proved to be no hinderance under stable jockey Colm O’Donoghue. The pair stormed clear 300 metres from home and was never going to be caught.

Winner of the Listed National Day Cup at Abu Dhabi, also over 1600 metres, he has improved throughout the season with O’Donoghue keen to credit the trainer and his team.

“That was his best effort yet, especially under the penalty and Ahmad has done a wonderful job with him,” said O’Donoghue.

“He has trained him with these races in mind and tonight he was ultra-fit and very relaxed throughout the race.

“He is a special horse who stays further but has the speed for shorter.

“I am not sure what the next target is but we will just enjoy this win and this horse has been great for me in my first season as stable jockey.”

The Group 3 Meydan Sprint run on the straight 1000 metre turf sprint course was easily won by Ertijaal.

Ridden by Jim Crowley, riding for his main employer, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ali Rashid Al Rayhi-trained horse not only proved far too good for their ten rivals, they also set a new record for the course and distance in the process, this despite never being asked to extend himself by his jockey.

Twice a course and distance winner last season, he was then second in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on the Dubai World Cup card. Again a 1000 metre Meydan turf winner on his only previous start this season, he is also a winner over both 1200 metre and 1400 metre distances so the new 1200 metre distant of the Al Quoz Sprint looks unlikely to be an issue.

Zarak was also a comfortable winner, which came in the closing Group 3 2000 metres Dubawi Stakes under Christophe Soumillon.

Trained by Alain De Royer-Dupre the four year-old son of Dubawi was said to not be fully fit prior to the race and his handler was yet to set a firm course for the winner.

The gulfnews.com, a 1400 metre dirt handicap, was the opening race of the night and Raven’s Corner, partnered by Richard Mullen for Satish Seemar, was seemingly never headed.

Having just his second start for the yard, after finishing runner-up on his local debut over 1200 metres at Meydan, confidence was clearly high. That mood was fully justified as having been well drawn in stall four, Mullen was soon able to get to the front. Once he committed for home leaving the home turn, the pair never looked likely to be caught.

Only six horses went to post for the Group 2 Balanchine, an 1800 metres turf feature restricted to fillies and mares, yet it still produced a good finish with Opal Tiara, trained in England by Mick Channon, digging deep to thwart the late challenge of Via Firenze, representing France.

Ridden by Oisin Murphy, Channon’s charge was runner-up in the 1600 metre Group 2 Cape Verdi three weeks ago when beaten by Godolphin’s Very Special. However, the Saeed bin Suroor-trained mare, under Jim Crowley, was clearly in trouble 300 metres from home when Opal Tiara was throwing down her challenge. She hit the front 200 metres from the line and was always holding the final challenge of Via Firenze and Maxime Guyon.

The Watch Time Handicap over 1400 metres on the dirt was run at a furious pace which Sahaafy unsurprisingly could not maintain.

At the halfway point early in the straight was where Sahaafy’s steam ran out, leaving Pat Dobbs in front on the Doug Watson-trained Stunned. The pair stayed there running on strongly to land the spoils relatively comfortably.

The penultimate race, a 1600 metre dirt handicap, was won in style by the Salem bin Ghadayer-trained Heavy Metal who appeared to lead throughout under Mickael Barzalona.

Nathr, ridden by Crowley for Watson, loomed as a big danger but Barzalona’s mount kicked clear at the 400 metre pole and ultimately won with some ease.

The next action in the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan is next Thursday, 23rd February.