Mshawish states his case for more with impressive outing in Zabeel Mile

Mshawish, under a fine ride from UK champion jockey Richard Hughes, was the impressive winner of the Group 2 Zabeel Mile, the 1,600-metre turf feature at Meydan on Thursday night.

Mshawish carries Richard Hughes to the win in the Zabeel Mile at Meydan Racecourse on February 27, 2014. Sammy Dallal / The National
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Dubai // Mshawish, under a fine ride from UK champion jockey Richard Hughes, was the impressive winner of the Group 2 Zabeel Mile, the 1,600-metre turf feature at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday night.

A quality performer in Europe, trained by Mikel Delzangles, Mshawish was fourth in last year’s French Derby, as well as Royal Ascot’s St James’s Palace Stakes, and was impressive here.

Hughes stalked a modest gallop set by Mustaheel, before dashing past that rival 400m out to win easily.

Hughes said: “He is a lovely horse as his European form indicated. I was always happy just behind the leader and my lad quickened past him in the style of a very good horse. You have to be impressed.”

The Group 3 UAE Oaks, over 1,900m on Tapeta, was turned into a procession by Godolphin's Ihtimal, a ninth winner in the race for trainer Saeed bin Suroor, but a first for jockey Silvestre de Sousa.

In doing so, Ihtimal became the fourth filly to win both the UAE 1000 Guineas and UAE Oaks, to add to her Group 2 win in England last year, where she was also third in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile.

De Sousa was always in control of matters, settling his filly in midfield but towards the outside, before the pair cruised to the front 300m out.

The race was over as a contest with just the winning margin to be decided – 10 lengths as she crossed the line.

De Sousa said: “She was impressive last time but that was even better. She is a lovely filly and has stayed the trip very well. I was happy out a bit wide as I did not want to risk traffic problems.

“She is very good.”

Bin Suroor said: “We have always really liked this filly and we will have to seriously consider the UAE Derby now.”

Trainer and jockey completed a double with the victory of Tha’Ir in the concluding 2,200m Tapeta handicap.

My Catch, having his third UAE outing but first local start on turf, won the Listed Meydan Classic after a confident ride by Pat Dobbs for trainer Doug Watson.

Dobbs took his mount to the front about 300m out and put the race to bed in a matter of strides.

Dobbs said: “I was happy to track the leader who was going a decent clip and my fellow responded well when I asked him. It was a good performance in a decent little contest.”

Gold City was the easy winner of the opening 1,400m Tapeta handicap, providing young Irish apprentice Marc Monaghan with a first Dubai Carnival winner.

With stable jockey Richard Mullen suspended, trainer Satish Seemar was happy to rely on his understudy and Monaghan did not let him down.

Settled just behind the early pace, Monaghan took Gold City to the front 400m out and they never looked likely to be caught, running out an easy winner to the delight of Monaghan who said: “This horse ran really well last time and I knew we had a good chance coming into the race.

“He has won in good style and it is great to get a Carnival winner.”

Medicean Man, a 1,000m turf handicap winner last week, added a 1,200m Tapeta handicap to his 2014 haul with Martin Lane in the saddle for a delighted trainer, Jeremy Gask.

Also a 1,000m turf winner at the Carnival last year, this was the horse’s first victory on a synthetic surface since scoring in England in March 2010 at Wolverhampton.

Lane, replacing normal jockey, Harry Bentley, said: “It was a great spare ride to pick up and everything went perfectly for him.

“They went quick and tired, allowing him to pick them off quite easily.”

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