Mouheeb the star of stunning Costa treble

Winning a Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas would be the highlight of a career for some but Mouheeb, winner of the Classic in 2021, may now also be a sprinter to follow. He crowned a superb evening for trainer Michael Costa with a win in the Listed Garhoud Sprint [Sponsored by DP World], the feature race on Friday at Meydan Racecourse.

Facing a tough bunch of rivals, including Group 3 winners Canvassed and Al Tariq, Mouheeb (pictured) came into the race with a Jebel Ali win already on his CV this season and this was even more impressive. Ridden by Ray Dawson, he tracked the leaders and powered away well at the finish, beating Tuz, who had gone for home under Tadhg O’Shea, by a length and a half.

“He’s a beautiful animal to sit on; a right beast of a horse,” said an impressed Dawson. “He reminds me of [Group 3 winner] Eastern World last year in that he’s got lots of speed, but you can take him back and you know he’ll finish well. When a horse kicks clear in these kinds of races, it’s a good sign.”

A Meydan winner had actually eluded Costa until tonight, when Tahdeed started off his brilliant evening in the 1600metre Mina Hamriya Handicap.

The son of 2015 Godolphin Mile winner Tamarkuz had won his maiden on turf at Meydan but this was a deserved first dirt victory, as he and Dane O’Neill reeled in longtime leader Down On Da Bayou close home.

“It’s unfortunate for [Stable Jockey] Jean Van Overmeire who is suspended at the moment,” said O’Neill, after riding his 170^th UAE winner. “Michael and Jean both gave me a good assessment of this horse before the race, so it wasn’t like sitting on one for the first time. We settled in off a nice pace and got a good run through and he picked up nicely in the straight.”

The third leg of Costa’s treble came in the Mirdif Stakes [Sponsored by Jebel Ali Port] for two-year-olds. His Seyouff was probably only beaten by a wide draw last time out and made amends here, despite again travelling slightly wide in the hands of Antonio Fresu. Nevertheless, he ran on well and was always holding Sharp Army and Long Kiss, two last time out winners.

Seyouff was the fourth of a quartet of winners on the night for owner Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also saw Seyaasi spring a surprise in the 1900metre maiden. The son of First Samurai had been well-held on all four previous starts but was given a typically enterprising ride by Xavier Ziani and never really looked in danger, beating debutant Mawtini by two and three-quarter lengths.

“He’s a nice horse but he has to be relaxed,” said Ziani. “I just wanted to give him an easy race and then he just kept on going. I never imagined I would have a winner in Sheikh Ahmed’s silks, I’m very proud.”

It was also a notable evening for Uruguayan trainer Julio Olascoaga who saddled his first winner in the finale, the JAFZA Handicap over 2000metres. His Ajuste Fiscal won the biggest race in Uruguay, the Grade I Gran Premio Pedro Ramirez, in 2020, but this was his first UAE win and he did it in style, charging clear by seven and a quarter lengths from Verboten. The winner was ridden by Jose Da Silva, for whom it was a third Meydan success.

Another South American jockey, Brazilian Bernardo Pinheiro, missed the first part of the season due to suspension so he was extra happy to record a double. His good night began in the opening Marfa Deira Purebred Arabian Race, over 1200metres for non-winners of two, which went to Wadheha, trained by Majed Al Jahouri. Drawn in one, the four-year-old filly soon led and asserted her advantage by two and three-quarter lengths at the line.

The second leg of Pinheiro’s double gave the Ismail Mohammed team their first winner of the campaign when Barq Al Emarat struck in dour fashion in the 1400metre Dubai Creek Maiden, for three-year-olds. Also drawn in one, the son of Mehmas was at the back of the six runners early on but stuck grimly to his task along the rail and then found plenty to hold off favourite Sari Dubai by a length.

“He’s a good horse and I galloped him a couple of times in the morning,” said Pinheiro. “It’s always a question mark if they will handle the ground [dirt] or not, but he’s training on it every single day so I was pretty confident.”

Meydan Racecourse now takes a week off, resuming on Friday, 23^rd December, when the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial and the Listed Entisar Stakes are the feature races.