Agreatcollection of Purebred Arabians to compete for Meydan feature Thursday night

Dubai: Racing at Meydan on Thursday evening is highlighted by the sole Purebred Arabian contest on the card, the 1400m Group 2 Bani Yas sponsored by Gulf News, which has attracted a field of 15, including the classy RB Money To Burn.

RB Money To Burn winning the 1600m Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 at Meydan (ERA)

Trained by Eric Lemartinel for Sheikha Alyazia bint Sultan Al Nahyan, the 5yo mare has won five of her seven career appearances, highlighted by her January success in the 1600m Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R1, her sole previous visit to Meydan. Ridden to that big race victory by Fabrice Veron, as she is on Thursday, she carries a penalty for that scintillating success.

Lemartinel said: “She is doing very well in her training. She has a penalty in a tough race, but should really have a nice chance.”

The mare only ran once more in the Covid-19 curtailed last season, finishing second in the 1400m Group 2 Liwa Oasis on the Abu Dhabi turf. She chased home AF Alwajel who had finished a well beaten fifth behind her in the opening round of the Al Maktoum Challenge.

Grass is greener: AF Alwajel winning the PA Group 2 Liwa Oasis at Abu Dhabi (ERA)

Winner of half his eight races, AF Alwajel, homebred by Champion Owner Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda, is the choice of retained jockey, champion Tadhg O’Shea, from two runners set to be saddled for Al Nabooda by Ernst Oertel.

Another 5yo making just a second Meydan appearance, the horse posted his first three career victories on the dirt at Sharjah before the aforementioned big race success in the Liwa Oasis.

AF Sajanjle winning for Oetel and Nabooda at Meydan (ERA)

AF Al Sajanjle gives Al Nabooda and Oertel a strong second string to his bow with Antonio Fresu taking the ride. The 7yo was third to RB Money To Burn in the Al Maktoum Challenge R1, two places, but only inches ahead of AF Alwajel in a thrilling scrap for that third placing.

Oertel said: “Our horses are on the whole in good form and running well which is obviously a positive sign. These are two good horses and it is exciting to have two good shots at a big race.”

Another trainer with two runners for a single owner is Doug Watson who will saddle both Sauternes Al Maury and Bon Baiser De Faust for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Retained by the owner, Dane O’Neill opts to ride the former with Sam Hitchcott aboard the stable companion.

Watson is also well represented in the main Thoroughbred race on the card, a 1600m rated conditions stakes, the gulfnews.com, in which he is set to saddle three of the eight runners. Thankfully back from injury, stable jockey Pat Dobbs has opted to ride Fanaar, third on his seasonal reappearance at Jebel Ali three weeks ago.

On his final start last season, he was fourth to stable companion Thegreatcollection, returning to action here and the mount of Pat Cosgrave.

Seasonal bow: Thegreatcollection ended last season with victory in the Jebel Ali Classic (ERA)

That was in March when Cosgrave’s mount, then ridden by Adrie de Vries, was winning for the first time since April 2019. Galvanize is Watson’s third runner and the mount of Sam Hitchcott.

Watson said: “It is good to have Pat back obviously and he picked Fanaar who has had a run whereas this looks a good spot to get the other pair going. All three are in good form and go there with some kind of chance in an open race.”

Dane O’Neill had a trio of Sheikh Hamdan runners to choose from, shunning Fanaar in favour of Alkaamel, one of the first runners of the campaign for Musabbeh Al Mheiri.

Sheikh Hamdan’s third runner, Hakeem, is prepared by Ali Rashid Al Rayhi and to be ridden by stable jockey Connor Beasley. Another course and distance winner in the octet is George Villiers with Tadhg O’Shea due to perform the steering for Satish Seemar.

Satish Seemar trained George Villiers won a DWC Carnival handicap last season (ERA)

Assistant trainer, Bhupat Seemar, said: “He was a carnival winner for us last year, but that was over 2000m and this 1600m is perhaps on the short side for him now. However, he seems in good form, training well and it is a good chance to give him a race.”

Salem bin Ghadayer has made a strong start to the campaign and relies on Daily Bulletin, a new horse to the yard whose one local victory was over 1400m at Jebel Ali. That was his local debut, when trained by Ali Rashid Al Rayhi and he has only had four starts since. That includes his first start for Bin Ghadayer when fourth, over an inadequate 1200m, back at Jebel Ali three weeks ago.

Of Royston Ffrench’s mount, Bin Ghadayer said: “We ran him at Jebel Ali almost as a fact finding mission because he had not run for two years and we were pleased with him.

“Thursday’s looks a hot race, but the horse has shown us plenty of ability at home, so will see how he goes.” (Dubai Racing Club)

SELECTIONS BY DUANE FONSECA

18:30 PA Group 2 1400m Dirt

AF Al Sajanjle and AF Alwajel look strong for Oertel, while Lemartinel’s RB Money To Burn is perhaps the one to be feared most, with Majed Al Jahoori’s Taymour an outsider who could really make a mark on his UAE debut.

AF Al Sajanjle RB Money To Burn AF Alwajel

19:05 TB Maiden 1200m Dirt

Bin Ghadayer’s Jumeirah Beach is the only one to have sampled action in this small but tight field, with Super Chianti the best among Watson’s trio and much expected from Nayefah, considering the recent form of Bachalard and rider Curatolo.

Super Chianti Jumeirah Beach Nayefah

19:40 TB Maiden 1400m Dirt

Zabardast and Far Sky have both come close to winning in the past, with the former more prominently second in a Carnival affair last season. While that experience is bound to come handy, Zero To A Hundred is preferred for Seemar despite his inexperience. Al Mheiri is likely to compose a winning tune with Antonio Vivaldi

Zabardast Far Sky Antonio Vivaldi

20:15 TB Handicap 1400m Dirt

Stable companions Royal Sands and Dangerous Thought will be keen to avenge their season opening defeat at the hands of Rich And Famous in this divisional renewal, while Space Bandit could be the gate crasher.

Royal Sands Space Bandit Dangerous Thought

20:50 TB Rated Conditions 1600m Dirt

Thegreatcollection should have plenty to offer on his seasonal debut, but Fanaar third at Jebel Ali last month will be expected to do better. The dependable George Villiers has numerous placed efforts here over this trip, but won over 2000m and hence cannot be ignored.

Thegreatcollection Fanaar George Villiers

21:25 TB Handicap 1200m Dirt

Seemar saddles half the field with Kinver Edge who will be looking to make it two in two having won on Meydan’s opening night a fortnight ago, perhaps his best chance alongside Lavaspin. Important Mission accomplished a course and distance assignment last season in flying colours and is well thought of.

Kinver Edge Lavaspin Important Mission

22:00 TB Handicap 2000m Dirt

C&D winner from last season Gundogdu makes his seasonal bow, but Lady Snazz might be ready get her hands dirty in search of a second win this term having won over 1900m here on Meydan’s opening night. Meqdam’s was well beaten into second over the longest trip at Jebel Ali on his first run, but that would have propped him perfectly for this challenge.

Meqdam Lady Snazz Gundogdu