Important Mission lands Mina glory; Double delight for Mheiri and Fresu

Racing at Meydan on Saturday, a seven-race card, featured six competitive handicaps, including five contested by horses with 2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival aspirations.

The meet was arguably highlighted by The Mina, a 1200m dirt handicap and most valuable race on the card, won almost effortlessly by Important Mission.

Trained by Salem Bin Ghadayer for Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum, the 6-year-old gelded son of More Than Ready normally leads, but on this occasion, was unable to get to the front with Drummore and Szczepan Mazur blazing the trail, and Xavier Ziani happy to track him.

Clearly travelling strongly at halfway, Ziani was happy to bide his time until the 300m pole when he sent his mount to the front and the race was soon in safekeeping.

It was a fourth career and second local success for the horse to add to a 1400m Meydan handicap success last April and a pair of all-weather victories in Britain when trained by William Haggas.

“We knew he had a big chance coming here this evening,” Ziani said of a horse who twice finished second in January.

“We had high expectations for this horse this season, but he had an issue and the boss gave him a good break before bringing him back early this year.”

The 1200m turf handicap, the Creek Views, was a thriller with Dosc snatching the initiative about 300m from home when sweeping past eventual third Taneen and then having just enough left in the tank to deny the late challenge of Tadbir, like the winner challenging from the rear.

Nearer last than first throughout the first half of the race, Dosc made smooth progress soon after halfway under Antonio Fresu before quickening to lead and clinging on grimly for trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri and owner Mohd Khalifa Al Basti.

A winner of one from three starts in Britain for David O’Meara, this was a first local success for the 5-year-old entire son of Dream Ahead on his fifth UAE outing, the best previous of which was fifth on his only turf start for Mheiri in a handicap over this course and distance at the beginning of January.

His only subsequent outing saw him unseat his rider as the stalls opened at Jebel Ali five weeks ago.

Trainer and jockey were soon celebrating a double after the following 1400m dirt handicap, the Aliyah, in which their California Jumbo flew home to snatch the spoils in the final 100m having been ridden patiently by Fresu, sporting the colours of Ahmed Belqosem.

A 5-year-old Scat Daddy gelding, he was nearer last than first at halfway before making relentless progress in the straight and finishing fast to deny Guernsey who looked the likely winner when hitting the front 300m from home under Sam Hitchcott.

However, they were swamped by the winner who was doubling his career tally having won a 1400m Al Ain handicap three starts ago at the beginning of January.

Also on turf, the 1600m handicap, the Al Furjan produced an electrifying finish with Hakeem and Jim Crowley leading right on the line to thwart Fernando Jara aboard Almoreb, both horses trained by Ali Rashid Al Rayhi for Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Financ, as was the fourth, Tafaakhor.

A homebred 6-year-old gelded son of Exceed And Excel, he was having just his third local start, but first on turf after two Meydan dirt outings, over 2000m then 1600m, since leaving Britain where he won thrice for William Haggas. Settled in midfield by Crowley, he appeared to be short of room as the field entered the straight, but once they found daylight, finished very strongly to lead where it mattered.

When Tradesman dropped towards the rear of the 12 runners in the Mirage, a 1900m dirt handicap, he looked the most unlikely of winners, but jockey Brett Doyle was nothing if not persistent and was pushing his mount forcefully fully 800m from home.

Having raced on the rail, Doyle switched his mount towards the centre of the track entering the straight and found a willing partner who galloped on resolutely, passing rival after rival, to lead close home.