Watson lands both features, Seemar claims a double at Meydan

All seven races on the Racing at Meydan card were on the dirt surface at what was the final fixture before the $35 million Dubai World Cup card in just over two weeks.

The evening’s racing was highlighted by a quality 1600 metre handicap, the CNN Travel, in which Doug Watson-trained Thegreatcollection was able to take full advantage of a drop in class to win easily despite conceding weight to his 10 rivals.

The winner tracked the early pace under Sam Hitchott in the colours of Zaur Sekrekov before overpowering his rivals in the final 600 metres. The victory by five and a half lengths made up for chasing home Capezzano in Super Saturday’s Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 over the same track and trip just over a week ago. Race favourite George Villiers was second with Pillar Of Society a further three and a quarter lengths adrift in third.

Hitchcott said: “He has deserved that, after running well on the whole at the Carnival. This drop in grade has helped him get his head back in front. That should do his confidence the power of good and I was always going well on him close to the pace.

“Against the better horses at the Carnival, he struggles to keep pace with them early on, but this was much easier for him. He broke very well and carried me into contention without my asking him.

“Hopefully he can build on this now he has won again.”

In the other feature, the CNN Business Handicap run over 1200 metres, Lytham St Annes took advantage of his good start, holding his own throughout, before powering clear in the straight under Pat Dobbs.

Watson trains the winner for Mohd Khalifa Al Basti and the 6-year-old was winning for the third time this season, having landed consecutive races over 1200 metres at Jebel Ali in November and then over this course and distance four weeks later. Lytham St Annes was followed home by Beachcomber Bay who was a length and a quarter behind in second, with Important Mission the same distance further back in third.

The meeting kicked off with the CNN Style, a 1400 metre maiden, won in imperious fashion by debutant Blockchain after a confident ride by Adrie de Vries for Fawzi Nass. In doing so, he provided owner Khaled Rahim with a maiden UAE winner at just the third attempt, but first since the Dubai World Cup at the end of March in 2010. Blockchain was settled just behind the speed by De Vries but when a gap appeared on the rail leaving the home turn, the jockey drove his mount through it and they shot clear to win easily by six and a half lengths. Zalmi Star was second with Raayan a short head away in third.

Having been runner-up when finishing fast in a 1400 metre Jebel Ali handicap just last Friday, Spirit of Scotland went one better in a 1600 metre handicap, CNN International Commercial (CNNIC).

Settled behind the leading group by Dane O’Neill, sporting the predominantly orange silks of the Bouresly Racing Syndicate, the five-year-old was pulled out to make his challenge and quickened stylishly in the process.

Spirit Of Scotland looked likely to win comfortably when hitting the front 300 metres out, but was forced to dig deep by Heraldic, who fought back when headed to make a real fight of it. The difference between the two at the line was only half a length, with Island Sound the leader of the chasing pack behind albeit nearly five lengths adrift.

The longest race on the card, a 2200 metre handicap titled the CNN Arabic, gave Seemar the first of his pair of winners thanks to the efforts of Welford.

The race developed into a duel throughout the final 400 metres when Grand Argentier, who led from the outset under Pat Dobbs, was about to be challenged by Richard Mullen and Welford. It took Mullen’s mount about 100 metres to get past, only for Dobbs to produce a renewed effort from Grand Argentier, who battled on gamely, but could not get his head back in front.

Having been a 1600 metre Meydan winner in November, the six-year-old was winning for Touch Gold Racing for the second time this campaign having run consistently well in four subsequent outings.

Those connections were back in the winner’s enclosure after the 1400 metre handicap, the CNN Health, as Speedy Move lived up to its name under Tadhg O’Shea.

The seven-year-old, who is also owned by Touch Gold in partnership with Sean Ewing, was winning for the fifth time and second in the UAE having previously landed a 1200 metre Jebel Ali handicap in March 2016 on what was his local debut. O’Shea guided his mount to victory by a length and a quarter from Gervais in second and Pirate’s Cove in third,

The finale, a 2000 metre handicap, the CNN Sport, was won in impressive style by Gundogdu. Trained by Salem bin Ghadayer and owner owned by Hamad Rashid Ghadayer, the winner under Xavier Ziani was never challenged and sprinted clear after leading comfortably throughout to win by a massive 21 lengths. Mears and Jintshi may have finished up well behind the winner, but did at least run on encouragingly for their connections for second and third respectively.

The next meeting at Meydan is the big one and the pinnacle of the UAE racing season, the Dubai World Cup, where the world’s richest day of horseracing will feature nine high-class races including six Group 1 and three Group 2 contests.