Focus on colts and juveniles as Longines hosts third 2018/19 fixture at Meydan

As official partner and official timekeeper of Meydan racecourse, Swiss watchmaker Longines presented all seven races on what was a thrilling and interesting card in the UAE.

The first of the maidens, the Longines Ladies Master Collection, got matters underway with the Ahmad bin Harmash-trained Superior living up to his name to take the honours.

Jockey Connor Beasley was in the saddle and he guided his mount to victory by half a length after a titanic struggle with Doug Watson-trained fellow debuter Martial Art.

A thrilling stretch duel between the two well-regarded colts made for an inspiring glimpse of what could be two future Meydan stars, with Queen Monaco trailing the pair in third by over six lengths.
The official feature of the night was the Longines V H P Collection, a 1400m handicap, which appeared highly competitive on paper with its eight runners.

Taamol, who pulled noticeably early under Dane O’Neill, had enough to quicken clear and outclassing his rivals. O’Neill, who had the choice of three for his boss, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was able to settle Taamol in behind Lytham St Annes and Mazeed. He briefly had to encourage his mount on the home turn, but they soon had the other pair in their sights and ultimately posted a comfortable triumph by two and a quarter lengths from Pilgrim’s Treasure in second, in doing so completing a double on the card for trainer Ali Rashid Al Rayhi.
The Al Rayhi double was initiated in the second 1600 metre maiden, the Longines La Grande Classic Collection, which was run at a searing gallop throughout the first half of the race with at least half of the 12 runners seeming to want to lead.

Of those who did race prominently, Roy Orbison was the only one to remain in contention throughout, leading halfway up the straight before making the race safe. Fernando Jara was in the saddle for Al Rayhi and owner Mohd Khalifa Al Basti as the winner came home two lengths clear of White Sky in second and joint favourite Dirilis Ertugrul in third a further four lengths adrift.

Pat Dobbs and Doug Watson may have been unsuccessful in the meeting’s opener but the pair teamed up once again to land the Longines Gents Record Collection, a 2000m handicap, with Al Basti’s Tried and True, who completed a one-two finish for Doug Watson, as Grand Argentier finished second a length and half behind the winner.

The Satish Seemar-trained Welford was the comfortable winner of the Longines Master Collection Moon Phase, a 1600 metre handicap. With Richard Mullen in the saddle, Having been a winner twice in Great Britain when trained by Mark Johnston for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Welford was on just his fourth UAE outing and second of the current campaign, but showed what he can do in some style. The victory margin of nearly six lengths from Muhtaram in second and Mightily in third – a further length and three-quarters back – tells its own tale.

Jockey and trainer then made it a double with Lavaspin, who ran out the comfortable winner of the Longines Ladies Record Collection, a handicap over 1200 metres. Owned by Mohd Khaleed Ahmed, this was only Lavaspin’s fifth career outing and first at Meydan having won once in his penultimate outing. However the success by two and a half lengths over Mutahaddith in second and Loures in third shows signs of promise for the future.

The concluding 1600 metre handicap, the Longines Dolce Vita Collection, featured a well-timed ride by Xavier Ziani on His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s Sandeep Jadhav-trained Untold Secret, who waited patiently on the rail behind the leaders turning for home. Once a gap appeared, the winner shot clear with authority to win by a very handsome five lengths. Murrayfield took second a shade ahead of Bochart.

The next racing at Meydan, the third of a total of 23 meetings scheduled across the 2018/19 season, is on 22 November.