Hello & welcome along to my review of last week's double #DWCC14 meeting on Thursday & Saturday. Overall it was a very interesting 2 days in which Mshawish produced an accomplished display in the Zabeel Mile, Ihtimal & Cavalryman were explosive for Godolphin in the Oaks & Nad Al Sheba Trophy respectively.
Thursday night kicked off with a disappointing 6 runner 7f Tapeta handicap but it produced a decisive winner in the shape of UAE based Gold City, My Freedom ran his best race of the Carnival so far but has still been disappointing in overall.
Old Medicean Man (see video below) proved his versatility when doubling up in successive weeks this time on the Tapeta, he looks an improved performer who must have a great chance in the Al Quoz Sprint on the big night itself.
The big talking point of the race was Racy who finished a very decent 2nd after being held up off the pace, however his rider Silvestre De Sousa received in my opinion an extremely harsh 2 day ban for ever so slightly brushing the disappointing South African Merhee in the final 2 furlongs, I think Soumillon (Merhee's rider) made it look much worse than it was by snatching up his mount well after Racy had gone by, I'm not denying Racy drifted in but if that was in the UK nothing would have happened as Merhee was never in contention to win as Racy ran right by him while Merhee stayed on at one pace.
This ban to me highlights why we need worldwide rules & regulations in place for stewarding as different jurisdictions give wildly different verdicts & this ban means that the Carnival's leading jockey misses Super Saturday this weekend.
Conveyance who had run in the 2011 Kentucky Derby returned with an excellent run after a long break & is one to bear in mind for next year's Carnival as long as he comes out of the race ok. Of the others both South Africans Merhee & Lehaaf were again disappointing, both have not gone on from promising first runs.
The Meydan Classic looked a shocking race on paper & so it turned out as Wednaan was pulled up hopefully he is alright as he is a promising horse. With his disappointment My Catch was up with the pace for the whole race, he took over just over 1 furlong out & ran on well to the line, nothing else stood out in a disappointing race.
Ihtimal (see video below) has been the top 3 year old filly in the UAE this season, she was immensely impressive once more travelling with supreme ease & quickening clear to an emphatic win by 10 lengths. Feedyah reversed form with Mensoora from the Guineas & is a useful filly in her own right who may well develop into an Epsom Oaks contender in England.
Ihtimal deserves to take her chance in the UAE Derby on the big night for me even though she will come up against Long John, I think she will have a better chance in this than in our 1000 Guineas for all she is clearly very talented & the winter in Dubai may be advantageous to the winter that European fillies have endured she has been racing against lesser opposition than she will face at Newmarket & she would still need to improve to beat the likes of Miss France, Tapestry, Rizeena & Indonesienne.
Mshawish (see photo) was a comfortable & impressive winner from a decent field in the Zabeel Mile Group 2 always well positioned by the deputising Richard Hughes he grabbed to the fast ground & quickened clear of his field to win 2.5 lengths, he will take a lot of beating in the Dubai Duty Free on World Cup Night.
Trade Storm ran a better race than his first run coming from well off the pace to finish a closing 2nd (albeit on a eased down winner), I unlike many other observers did not think this was a good prep run for next weekends Jebel Hatta as I feel the horse did not have the ability to get anywhere near a genuine Group 2 / 1 animal in Mshawish. That is my issue with Trade Storm he won a weak version of the Zabeel last year & for all he finished 4th in the Duty Free last year he was never going to win, after his Carnival runs he was well beaten & over faced for me in top company around the globe. He is a Group 3 horse for mer at best.
Mushreq ran another consistent race finishing 3rd albeit quite a way behind the first 2 so he may just be feeling the effects of his own consistency, he still gives the form some clout which leads me to believe that Mshawish will give Frankie Dettori an International Group 1 for his new employers. Gabrial ran as well as he could given the lack of a strong pace which he thrives on, he can only run in the Godolphin Mile on World Cup night due to his rating which would be his first run on Tapeta, his ability to handle that surface is a doubt.
The closing 1m3f handicap was won decisively by Tha'ir (see photo) who was always travelling a little too powerfully on the bridle in behind the leaders.
As they turned into the straight he showed an impressive turn of foot to win going away, it was a deserved win for this little horse who is a most consistent animal. It was his first win on an artificial surface which gives him options for the future, I wonder if Godolphin had tried him on this surface sooner whether he may have ended up in a World Cup but then stranger things have happened as he could easily pop up in Round 3 of The Al Maktoum Challenge this coming Saturday as on his day he is verging on Group Class.
Farrier ran an excellent race to finish 2nd which was a seasons best, Alexandra Palace ran a much better race than last week & remains a horse of interest for next seasons Carnival considering he was good enough to win first time out this year. Winterlude was again very well backed & for the 2nd time punters have had their fingers burnt by this horse who looks nothing like the animal that was winning well at Kempton at the end of last season
Saturday's action kicked off with another 6 runner handicap on Tapeta this time over 1m2f, it produced another decisive winner this time in the shape of Samurai Sword who got a lovely run up the rail to win by 2 lengths for trainer Ahmad Bin Harmash who has done very well with his string of also rans during the domestic & Carnival season. Samurai Sword made the running on his most recent start which did not suit but this was much more like it & he still has more to give.
Tanfeeth made the running & kept on well to finish 2nd, an honest horse who just struggles to win. Plantagenet hated the way the race was run with the slow tempo not suiting him at all, he still retains plenty of ability but has struggled to get his head in front this year. Ottoman Empire sat in 2nd place just off the incredibly slow pace & he could just not quicken while Mickdaam was scrubbed along from an early stage, he appears to not retain much ability while Busker the stablemate of the winner appears in the handicappers grip after some great early season form.
Race 2 on Saturday was a 7f Tapeta handicap which on paper represented Free Wheeling's (see photo) best chance of a Carnival win to date & luckily for me it proved so as he won quite easily at the end,
positioned in 2nd place by Silvestre off a decent gallop he took hold of the race in the straight to hold all comers quite comfortably, he is miles better on Tapeta so where his future lies I do not know but he is on his day a minor stakes animal.
Dragon Falls finally ran a good race after 2 average runs, he looks one to keep on the right side of if he comes back to Europe this summer. Van Rooney stuck on well for 3rd, he is consistent but needs a lesser grade to gain a win.
Saudi runner Qatoomah ran a funny race, she broke well then was pulled back to last by William Buick, as they turned for home she was going nowhere being scrubbed along, once the field straightened she ran on & finished a never nearer 4th, it was made to look better than it actually appeared as she was passing stopping horses.
A small field 6 furlong Turf sprint followed in which 2 Carnival regulars bounced back to form with Kavanagh just getting the better of Dux Scholar with Roicead hot on their heels, those 3 were miles clear of Take Ten, Nawwaar & a somewhat disappointing Glass Office who looked very much in need of the race. Whether the two principals can figure in the Al Quoz Sprint or The Golden Shaheen is doubtful but I would not give up on Glass Office who will improve for that & whether its in Dubai or back in Europe he is a sprinter to keep on the right side of.
A tricky 1 mile Tapeta handicap was next up & old Capital Attraction (see video below) took advantage of a less competitive event, he sat in behind the hard pulling Energizer & on the inside of another strong travelling animal Captain Joy, as those 2 faded early Capital Attraction took control & the result was never in doubt. He is a decent animal in these less competitive races so a run in the Godolphin Mile is fanciful.
Old Disa Leader is ever so consistent but unfortunately is vulnerable to younger legs these days. Solar Deity was again disappointing & as I have thought all along he is weighted out of winning these Carnival races as he just not classy enough to win one.
Energizer again ran to free I can see him being gelded if he returns to the track in Europe.
The Big race on Saturday night was the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy for the stayers a trial for the Dubai Gold Cup on World Cup night, it produced a dominant display from old Cavalryman (see photo) who travelled with ease during the race before showing plenty of dash for an 8 year old to shoot clear & win eased down by 5.5 lengths.
I can't see anything beating him in the Gold Cup with the only threat coming from his improving young stablemate Excellent Result whose form was franked handsomely as the 2 horses that finished behind him last time filled exactly the same positions behind Cavalryman (see video below) on Saturday, Star Empire taken wide in the straight finished 2nd while Certerach who was scrubbed along early stayed on strongly to hold 3rd from Jutland.
Simenon was held up a long way back in this race & in reality had no chance of getting involved, he will come on for the run & will no doubt get closer to Cavalryman but I cannot see him reversing the form. Model Pupil could never go the gallop but stayed on through beaten horses to finish a never nearer 6th.
Moment In Time ran as well as could be expected while Renew was slightly disappointing just like the majority of his stable companions have been throughout the Carnival, for all the ammunition that Marco Botti has at his disposal it is very disappointing that he has not had a winner. Buckwheat found this company all to hot as did Without Fear & not surprisingly Saddler's Rock was again disappointing in good company. Statutory showed up well for a long way before dropping away very tamely, he looks he could be another Mark Johnston animal to not go on under the stewardship of the Godolphin operation.
The final race of the 2 day Carnival meeting was a 1m2f Turf handicap which went the way of the free sweating Sanshaawes (see video below) who was given a peach of a ride by Christophe Soumillion, always well positioned against the rail he pushed through past his main danger Saxo Jack to win quite cosily at the finish. Clearly a very useful animal he has now won on Tapeta & Turf at the Carnival, he has earnt a step back up into Group company, for me an attempt at the 3rd Round of The Al Maktoum Challenge may come too soon as it this weekend & he has had 3 relatively quick outings, however I can see him being just the type of horse that Mike De Kock will travel the globe with races like the Singapore Airlines Cup looking a suitable first target.
Old Start Right is a reformed character as he gained 4th placing of the Carnival with another excellent run, Saxo Jack gutsily held on for 3rd after doing far too much too early on Saturday pulling his way up to 2nd, he remains a handicapper to be interested in back in the UK this summer. Regulation ran a much better race stepped in trip while Chil The Kite was again very disappointing & he looks one to be wary of for the time being.
Horses to Follow:
Mshawish -
My idea of Dubai Duty Free winner
Dragon Falls -
Should be capable of winning races in the UK
Saxo Jack -
Interesting for Top UK 1m2f handicaps & maybe minor pattern races
@fttfracing
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