Vasari stars in treble for Al Mheiri and Fresu

Musabbeh Al Mheiri has been in good form so far this season and he combined with stable jockey Antonio Fresu for a sparkling treble at Meydan’s third meeting of the season.

They had to wait to get on the scoresheet, however, with the first three races going elsewhere. The opening Group 2 Madjani Stakes [Presented by Longines], for Purebred Arabians, could lay claim to being the best race of the night. It featured two Group 1 winners; Deryan, winner of the G1 Kahayla Classic in 2021 and Rajeh, successful in Maktoum Challenge Round 2 in February.

Kerless Del Roc was second in the Kahayla last season on his first run since winning this race and he repeated the first part of that feat, leading from the start under Fernando Jara and finding more, even when the strong-traveling Deryan loomed large in the straight. With the benefit of a previous run this season, Kerless Del Roc extended further away and beating the fast-finishing Barakka comfortably.

“That was always the plan with him; to try and get a good position,” said Jara, riding for trainer Ahmed Al Mehairbi. “Horses like this make your job easy. He’s not a horse who runs well on his first two races; he improves during the season. Even today, he wasn’t at 100 per cent and this should get him really tight for the rest of the season.”

There was a thrilling finish to the second race, the 1400metre Graduate Stakes [Presented by Longines] which was restricted to horses purchased at the recent Racing In Dubai sales. Island Rule cost connections AED130,000 at the April 2021 auction but now has two wins to his name, continuing his good first up record with a last-gasp success over the dueling On The Warpath and Royal Mews.

Ridden by Ray Dawson for trainer Ahmad Bin Harmash, the five-year-old made life hard for his jockey throughout but found enough to get up by a neck.

“It was plan z really! He didn’t travel very well at all,” said Dawson after his sixth winner of the campaign. Turning into the straight I thought we’d be lucky to be second but then he really kicked into gear. He didn’t change leads but I didn’t really ask him to this time.

“When he finished second last year he was caught in the last furlong, so he’s a horse who wants to be chasing something. But he’s shown us again that he has that ability.”

Owner Saeed Sultan Al Rahoomi has a good record with juveniles and he can dream of Classic success following the win of Royal Dubai in the Longines Dolca Vita Collection maiden, over 1400metres.

Soon into the lead from his rail draw in one, the 36,000gns son of Seahenge was thoroughly professional in dispatching his 14 rivals, kicking clear of Seyouff by six and three-quarter lengths.

The colt was ridden by Pat Cosgrave for trainer Bhupat Seemar and the jockey was impressed. “He wasn’t brilliantly away but he was soon up into stride,” he said. “I liked the way he put the race to bed very quickly and it was all over at the 300 [metre marker].

“He’s got everything going for him; he’s got no quirks and he might not have to improve much to be a Guineas contender.”

Rahoomi saw his silks go close in the following race too, when his Sari Dubai made much of the running in the Longines Legend Driver Collection Maiden over 1600metres, only to finish second.

It was Emdakam who prevailed, making his first start for 11 months a winning one under an educational ride by Antonio Fresu who did well to prevent the four-year-old from lugging in behind his rivals. Once in the clear, he ran on well and was one and three-quarter lengths too good at the line.

It was a fourth winner of the season for Musabbeh Al Mheiri and a fifth for Fresu, who said: “He was unlucky last year when he missed the break and got beaten over a mile. He travelled beautifully in behind today, didn’t mind the kickback, and when I found a gap he quickened up really well. He’s just missing some experience as it was only his third run.”

Fresu and Al Mheiri collected a quick double when Vasari beat stablemate Mutaraffa in the night’s most valuable race, the AED105,000 Longines Master Collection Handicap over 1200metres. A frantic early pace played to the strengths of the five-year-old, who came home two and a quarter-lengths ahead of his rivals for his second course and distance success.

Later, it became three for the Oasis Stables team when three-year-old Street Mood notched his second win in the closing Longines Spirit Collection Handicap, over 1600metres.

The three-year-old was a running-on second here over 1200metres on his seasonal debut and seemed to appreciate the step up in trip, reeling in Western Symphony close home.

Doug Watson rarely leaves Meydan empty-handed, and the seven-time UAE Champion Trainer got his name on the scoresheet when Mulfit landed the 2200metre Longines Record Collection Handicap. The grey was overlooked by stable jockeys Pat Dobbs and Sam Hitchcott so it was Oscar Chavez, based with Watson at Red Stables for the season, who profited and rode his second Meydan winner, but first since 2012.

“It couldn’t have gone better,” said the Panama-born jockey, who has spent much of his career in Singapore. “Doug gave me instructions and said to make sure I kept him away from the kickback. To ride a winner here on my first night back is fantastic, and to ride one for Doug is even better.”

Meydan races again next Thursday, December 1^st, when the Listed Dubai Creek Mile is the highlight.