Dubai // The 1,900-metre Group 2 middle round of the Al Maktoum Challenge on Thursday night was won by one of Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor’s horses for a 10th time, with Kieren Fallon aboard Prince Bishop, who broke the track record in the process.
The winner was chased home by stable companion African Light and was a third winner on the card for his trainer.
Fallon committed for home fully 600m out in what proved a decisive move, with African Light and jockey Silvestre de Sousa closing as the line approached, but never looking likely to get there.
“To be honest, I thought I went for home too early, but he is a brave horse and one I won on in England last year,” Fallon said. “I actually think he can improve again as he won despite getting tired.”
It was a third winner on the card for Bin Suroor.
The Group 1 Purebred Arabian equivalent, also on Tapeta but over 2,200m, was won impressively by Rabbah De Carrere, given a confident ride by De Sousa, who took his mount to the front 300m out.
It was a first win in the race for jockey, trainer Majed Al Jahouri and the Manchester City owner, Sheikh Mansour.
“He is a very good Purebred Arabian, likes this surface and stays well,” De Sousa said.
De Sousa completed a double, winning the first classic of the season, the UAE 1,000 Guineas, providing Bin Suroor with his seventh win in the 1,600m Tapeta feature with the impressive Ihtimal.
A Group 2 winner in England and Group 1-placed, she outclassed her rivals here.
Happy to take his time in the middle of the pack, De Sousa pulled his mount out at the top of the straight, quickening nicely, to win well.
“Her only defeats have been behind very good fillies and she was just too good this evening,” De Sousa said. “It was impressive.”
Bin Suroor and De Sousa then combined with Godolphin’s appropriately named Excellent Result in the 2,810m turf handicap. De Sousa produced him to lead close home, with the pair making a lot of ground in the straight.
“The slow pace did not help me but he finished very strongly to win nicely,” the jockey said.
The 1,400m Tapeta handicap went to Ireland, with Shane Foley producing the Michael Halford-trained Eastern Rules to deny the fast-finishing Mustaheel and Godolphin’s My Freedom.
“He was an excellent third last week and that is our second winner at this Carnival with all the horses running well,” Foley said.
The following 1,400m Meydan Classic Trial, on turf, also went the way of Ireland. For the second year running, Fergal Lynch produced a David Marnane-trained/Damian Lavelle-owned runner to land the spoils.
Last year it was Elleval, and this time it was He’s No Saint.
“That was a smart effort as he travelled really strongly,” Lynch said. “I was struggling for a gap, but when it opened, he quickened like a nice horse.”
UK raider Mont Ras opened trainer David O’Meara’s UAE account with a victory in the concluding 1600m turf handicap.
“That is a great result for some really enthusiastic owners and I am delighted for them,” said William Buick, who rode the winner.
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