World Cup Carnival aspirants to stake claims at Meydan’s double-header

Racing at Meydan on Saturday is the second part of the racecourse’s first double-header of the season and highlighted by a pair of 2000m handicaps, one apiece on each surface and both for horses on the cusp of Dubai World Cup Carnival.

In the Al Tayer Motors, the 2000m turf handicap, the capacity field of 14 are set to face the starter with Ahesto Bero and Recordman sharing the burden of top weight.  

The former, a 5-year-old Dubawi gelding making his first start for Ismail Mohammed, having represented Simon Crisford three times last season without joy.

Ahesto Bero was a dual turf winner in Europe for Andre Fabre and will be having just his ninth career start, seventh on grass.  

He is the mount of Fabrice Veron who said: “We would like to think he will prove a carnival horse, so this is a good spot to get him going. He has summered well; his work has been progressive, and he seems a nice new horse for the yard.”

Meanwhile, Recordman is one of two in the race for Satish Seemar and will be ridden by Tadhg O’Shea with Richard Mullen remaining loyal to Irish Freedom on whom he won a 1400m Abu Dhabi handicap in early November, the 7-year-old’s second career win and first locally. Mullen was also aboard Recordman when he doubled his career tally with his one UAE success to date, in a 2400m Abu Dhabi handicap in December 2019.

Mullen said: “It was not an easy choice certainly because I have won on both horses, but Irish Freedom is race fit whereas Recordman has been off since running in the 2000m dirt handicap on this card last year, so will benefit from the run.”

Retained by Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE’s Minister of Finance Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Jim Crowley is in UAE action for the first time this season, partnering Tafaakhor for the in-form Ali Rashid Al Rayhi. The owner’s second jockey, Dane O’Neill, partners Erwan Charpy’s Akwaan.  

Charpy is hopeful that a return to the grass will help out Akwaan who the trainer believes “hated it” when finishing last on dirt at Sharjah last time. Twice a winner on this surface when trained in the UK, he still hasn’t shown his best in the UAE but has only run here three times, so has plenty of time on his side.

The ten-furlong dirt handicap, race two, is also an interesting event. Rayhi’s Karnavaal has snuck in off bottom weight and will be ridden by Paiva, who is able to get down to 53.5kilos.

 In good heart this season, including when second on turf at Abu Dhabi last time, he tries this distance for the first time and is an interesting contender.

The 2000m dirt handicap, the Lincoln Navigator, has also attracted the maximum allowed field, in this case 16. Salem Bin Ghadayer is enjoying a productive season and Royston Ffrench rides his local debutant Homespin, a homebred 4-year-old Speightstown gelding owned by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and twice a winner, from ten starts, in Britain for Mark Johnston.

Both wins were on turf whereas he was runner-up on both all-weather outings. This will be his dirt debut. For the same owner, Xavier Ziani partners stable companion Untold Secret who has been kept busy this season and will be having his sixth start of the campaign. A 1950m Jebel Ali winner on his seasonal debut in November, the 9-year-old gelded son of Shamardal was most recently third at Jebel Ali just last Friday.

Mullen and Seemar combine with Miller’s House, a 4-year-old Munnings colt who impressed losing his maiden tag on his penultimate start, in a 1600m Meydan maiden, before failing to land a blow, but not beaten far, over 2000m at Sharjah.  

Welsh Lord was impressive on his seasonal debut for Musabbeh Al Mheiri, readily landing a handicap over this 2000m dirt course and distance, defeating Meqdam who then gained revenge, seemingly outstaying him, over 2200m, also at Meydan.

Antonio Fresu was in the Welsh Lord saddle on both occasions and said: “He won well the first day, but was hanging left last time, so hopefully he makes my life easier this week!”

This is the final Meydan fixture before the eagerly awaited 2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival commences next Thursday.