Victory for Doug Watson’s Cosmo Charlie headlines third meeting of season at Meydan

Trained by Doug Watson, the 4-year-old gelded son of Stay Thirsty ran out an emphatic winner under Pat Dobbs, just as he had done in the equivalent race 12 months ago.

The winner overcame a poor start to the 1600 metre race to rush up from his low draw and lead from the rail from the 1200 metre point onwards. Connor Beasley on the eventual third-placed Radaini drew level at the top of the straight, but the result was not in any doubt as Dobbs soon settled the matter and went onto win by two and quarter lengths. Beasley’s mount weakened in the final 100 metre to the extent they lost second place to the Watson-trained Etijaah.

Having been well beaten on his seasonal debut after suffering a rough trip over 1400 metres at Jebel Ali four weeks ago, Cosmo Charlie had clearly benefitted from that outing and proved too classy for his rivals on this occasion. Connections indicated he will now head to the Listed Dubai Creek Mile over the same trip, while Etijaah will stretch back out to his customary 2000 metre trip in the Listed The Entisar—both on 20 December.

Speaking afterwards, Watson said “The one draw was a big help, though he had to use up a lot of gas after that slow start.

“I was then a bit worried he might not get home but he had that race at Jebel Ali which seems to have put him spot on. He is a very nice horse on his day and hopefully he can build on this and be competitive back at the Carnival.”

The meeting began with the first Purebred Arabian contest at Meydan this season, the 1400 metre Bani Yas sponsored by Gulf News which was won by a narrow margin by ES Ajeeb.

The victory came despite the winner being drawn widest of all in 14 as ES Ajeeb powerfully took command from the start and held a large lead that finally began to dwindle in the final 100 metres. Tough 5-year-old mare Mawahib closed resolutely to finish second a stride behind ES Ajeeb who now boasts a record of four wins from seven career tries.

The Satish Seemar-trained Lavaspin made easy work of The Friday, a 1200 metre handicap. Having taken took the lead from barrier six (of eight) under Richard Mullen, Lavaspin was always travelling well and burst clear early in the straight to win emphatically by five lengths and complete a course and distance double, having won a similar handicap two weeks ago for his owner Mohd Khaleel Ahmed. Alraased took second just in front of Ejaaby in third.

Seemar and Mullen later made it a pair of victories when in virtually identical fashion to Lavaspin, Bochart won the Reach by Gulf News handicap.

The winner was soon in front on the rail in the contest over 1400 metres handicap before running on far too strongly for the other 13 contenders. The two length victory for the 5-year-old owned by Al Bait Mutawahed Team means it is now victories on the record, including twice at Meydan. Murrayfield came in second just ahead of Muhtaram in third.

Ten juveniles contested the Inside Out, a 1400 metre maiden restricted to fillies, which saw trainer Sandeep Jadhav provide both first and second placed runners. Jockey Royston Ffrench partnered the winner Al Shamkhah, even if the pair were nearer last place than first at the halfway stage. When stable companion and fellow debutante Foggy Flight hit the front under Xavier Ziani 250 metres out, Al Shamkhah was still well in arrears, but closed strongly with a sizeable stride to claim a victory by a neck. Habah was a distant third over four lengths back behind the front two.

The Baby & Child Trophy, a 1200 metre maiden, was won by local debutant Kawasir, who had proven consistent, if not victorious in his previous six starts.

Making his first start for Musabbeh Al Mheiri, Kawasir was never far off the speed under Dane O’Neill, who was riding for his main employer, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Ultimately, he hit the front with about 250 metres to go, but had to work to repel Beachcomber Bay, who led for the majority of the contest and fought back bravely when headed; the latter taking second from Coded in third.

The evening’s card concluded with Wheels, a handicap over the same 2000 metre course and distance as the world’s most valuable horse race, the $12 million Dubai World Cup.

A long way out, the race appeared to be a possible breakout performance by Sandeep Jadhav-trained Gundogdu, but a determined ride close to the rail by Fernando Jara on the Ali Rashid Al Rayhi-trained Quartier Francais eventually earned a powerful two-length victory.

The next racing at Meydan is on Thursday 6 December 2018.