Deciduous and Stormy Ocean ones to watch

Sunday cards at Meydan Racecourse are all about potential and Deciduous and Stormy Ocean will go into plenty of notebooks after their wins on the turf signaled bright futures.

Trained and owned by Salem Bin Ghadayer, Deciduous (pictured) might have done enough to earn a spot at the Dubai World Cup Carnival after his impressive success in the Fazaa Gold Handicap, over 2400metres on turf.

The four-year-old, an AED470,000 purchase at the September Racing In Dubai Sale, found himself blocked for a clear run at the top of the straight. Once switched around horses by a cool Mickael Barzalona, he cruised home for a hands and heels victory over Sea Stone, a length and a half back in second.

“He won very easily, although I had to take my time in the straight when I thought I could go inside and I could not, so I had to go right,” said Barzalona. “Royston [Ffrench, jockey] was very happy with him last week over a mile and one (1800metres). He suggested going up in trip and he was right.”

Barzalona took one of the evening’s other features, the Fazaa Platinum Handicap, over 1800metres on turf, with Stormy Ocean.

Running for the first time for Simon and Ed Crisford having moved from Charlie Appleby, the Frankel gelding travelled just behind the leaders and hit the front inside the final furlong, posting a comfortable success over Franz Kafka and Perfect Love.

“It’s the first time for me to ride him at the races,” said Barzalona, whose mount is now likely to have gained a place at the Carnival, having been rated 88 prior to this. “He was strong at the beginning and then settled well and he has a good action, so hopefully he can progress.”

Trainer Michael Costa looked to have a strong hand with five runners across the card and he started the best way possible, with a double in the first two races. His Torrkee started off the Red Letter Day by taking the opening Fazaa Senior Maiden, over 1200metres on turf.

The five-year-old was ridden by Jean Van Overmeire and did it the hard way, opening up an early lead on the far side of the track and staying there, holding off the challenge of the favourite Harvest Gold by a length.

“It was a bit unexpected, to be honest,” said Van Overmeire after his eleventh winner of the season. “Coming back to the 1200metres was a big benefit. He was able to jump out nice and clean, travel within himself and he took care of it from then on.

“He’s a horse who works really well at home. So maybe he can continue now that he’s got a confidence boost.”

Van Overmeire and Costa doubled up 35 minutes later, when Alhzeem cruised home in the Fazaa Discount Maiden, over 1900metres on dirt.

Drawn in seven, Van Overmeire managed to keep out of the frenetic early pace and had plenty of horse left once the leaders began to tire, coasting through a gap with a double handful and winning by nine lengths from Arabian Gazelles in second.

“I was actually a bit surprised with how far I went clear. I had a couple of looks over my shoulder to confirm,” said Van Overmeire. “I could see in front of me that nothing was really travelling so I thought that the gap would come and we’d be through in a stride and that was how it was.”

Musabbeh Al Mheiri is another who enjoyed a good weekend with a Carnival double on Friday and he added to his haul when Falsehood took the Fazaa Silver Handicap, over 1600metres on dirt. The four-year-old was successful over course and distance in November and had bottom weight here, once again putting in an honest performance. Disputing the lead early on, the grey and Antonio Fresu stayed on well for a clear-cut length and a half success over Justice Protecol, with Triple Venture third.

Al Mheiri doubled up in the last race, the Fazaa Hemam Handicap, over 1400metres on turf, when Ra’ad made his third start for the trainer a winning one. Running for just the second time on turf, the six-year-old helped produce the finish of the afternoon, sticking out his neck to deny Sadeedd and Chosen Mark, who threw down challenges on either side of him.

“It was a big surprise, to be honest” said winning jockey Bernardo Pinheiro. “The yard has done an amazing job as this horse hasn’t had a race in two months and this was his first time on the grass [in the UAE]. He never gave up and when Sadeedd came inside it was good as he liked the fight.”

Meydan Racecourse is back in action on Friday, February 17^th, when the G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes and G3 UAE Oaks are among the highlights of Carnival meeting seven.