Bin Ghadayer taking aim at the two big Arabian nights
- Duane Fonseca
- Dec 22, 2020
- 5 min read
By Duane Fonseca
Dubai: Two of the biggest race meetings in the Gulf are on the radar of Emirati handler Salem bin Ghadayer who is optimistic about having another big year in his role as head trainer of Fazza Racing.
Bin Ghadayer was well represented at the inaugural Saudi Cup at Riyadh in February and thereafter had some of his yard's top performers fit and ready to tackle the best on the Dubai World Cup card in March.
Lukewarm performances in Saudi from the five dispatched there and the cancellation of the Dubai World Cup meant Bin Ghadayer was left to mull over what could have been.
“I was quite happy with the way some of the horses performed in Saudi. For The Top came so close to winning the race he was in and gave a good account of himself and the yard against some of the top names in the world,” Bin Ghadayer said in a tone that was matter of factly and yet brimmed with enthusiasm as it voiced spiel about the future.
“It’s been a difficult year for everybody, not just us. Everyone has had to face hardships and the main thing is that people are safe and that racing is back on again.
“For us For The Top did a fantastic job in Saudi and we were more than happy that he at least finished the season strong in that way. Matterhorn was favourite in his race on Dubai World Cup night which was a big thing for everyone at Fazza Racing because we all work hard here to get the horses in top shape for race day.
“Dubai World Cup night is a big deal if you’re a horseman, especially an Emirati because it is the biggest night of racing in the world and a very prestigious moment for a UAE trainer to have a horse that is favourite in a race. We were very much looking forward to it all but then the race was cancelled. We couldn’t do anything about it, that’s life and racing and we are here in another season with so much more to look forward to all over again.”
There is indeed much to look forward to and with the quality of horses occupying the stalls in his yard at present Bin Ghadayer is relishing the prospect of fielding his stars at the Dubai World Cup Carnival which begins in January. He also has on his radar, February’s Saudi Cup races and the Dubai World Cup meeting of late March.
Bin Ghadayer sent five in all to Saudi in February with the aforementioned For The Top fading to third in the 2100 Conditions, Dee Ex Bee placing 10th in the Longines Turf Handicap over 3000m, Down On Da Bayou claiming eighth in the Saudi Samba Derby and Gronkowski and Capezzano finishing 10th and 14th respectively in the feature Saudi Cup.
In the UAE, he won thrice at Group level with Capezzano delivering the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes, Down On Da Bayou winning the Group 3 UAE Oaks and Chiefdom dominating the field in the Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile. Matterhorn became one of the top favourites for the Group 1 Dubai World Cup after his massive course and distance win in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge on Super Saturday.
“We have moved on from the disappointments of last season and are currently working on having all the horses ready for the big nights. We would like to have our owners represented in the big races and for us the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup nights are very very important,” Bin Ghadayer said.
“We have a nice programme for our horses targeting these two race dates and this is in my mind above all so we will do our best to be there.
“I had one of the favourites on the Dubai World Cup card in Matterhorn last year, but that didn’t happen and that’s life. But we have worked hard to get the horses healthy and sound for the season and they are starting to do their best.”
Bin Ghadayer’s 74 dispatches so far have yielded 12 winners. The one-time endurance rider enjoyed a particularly good night at Meydan a fortnight back with Important Mission and Firnas delivering him a feature double in the form of the Garhoud Sprint and The Entisar. Bin Ghadayer, who started his career in the 2014/15 season, has recorded 86 winners so far and enjoyed his best ever year in 2017/18 with 28 victories.
But 2020/21 could be even better. Firstly, he is operating at a healthy strike rate of 16.22% and secondly his yard, this year, has swelled to approximately 75, with the lucrative Emirates winter programme luring many successful Arab owners in Europe and the United States to send their flagbearers to train at Fazza Racing.
“We have 77 boxes and I am happy with the horses I have right now and I thank His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and the owners for giving me the chance to keep the horses here,” Bin Ghadayer added.
“We are almost a private stables for HH Sheikh Hamdan, but he gave us the chance and said you could have horses from other owners and we try to keep the owners happy.
“We have about 75 horses in training and some big owners like Abdullah Al Maddah from Saudi Arabia. He owns horses in France and the United States and he has four horses with us; three 2yos and a 3yo, Mkfancy who won a Group race (Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in 2019).
“We have two horses that belong to Saudi owners Ecurie Ama Zingteam, they are Rare Ninja and Talo, they are new owners too.
“We have some big names in the yard like Matterhorn and then there’s Communique (winner of the 2019 Group 2 Prince of Wales’s Tattersalls Stakes and the 2019 Group 2 Roaring Lion Jockey Club Stakes) who is here for long distance races. We have five new horses from Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed that were with Mark Johnston. Monoski is one of them. He is a nice horse and is starting to show his ability. Vale Of Kent and Homespin are also nice horses that have arrived from Johnston for Sheikh Hamdan.
“Then there are 2yos like Rare Ninja who ran a good race the first time and he should have a good chance. Talo too is nice. He is a half brother to Down On Da Bayou and is by Orb. He was a little bit of a backward horse, but he’s starting to come along well and I am really happy with the way he’s starting to progress.
“I have a 2yo horse by Giant’s Causeway called Areen who belongs to Abdullah Al Maddah. He will be a nice horse too.”
If things carry on the way they have been for the past few months, Bin Ghadayer might just about have some really big nights ahead of him as he looks to tick off a major career goal.
Comments