DUBAI (16 January, 2021) -Racing at Meydan on Saturday officially featured a 2000m turf handicap, the Al Tayer Motors and Recordman landed the spoils, providing trainer Satish Seemar a third consecutive victory on the card and a second for jockey Tadhg O’Shea.

Sporting the yellow and red silks of Mohd Khaleel Ahmed, O’Shea settled his mount in the middle of the pack before the pair made smooth headway on the home turn, setting sail after early leader Emirates Currency. They snared that tiring rival entering the final 275m and had enough left in the tank to hold the late thrust of Ahesto Bero who was finishing fast, but, ultimately, too late. A seasonal debutant, Recordman is a 6-year-old gelded son of Dubawi who was having just his fifth start for Seemar and first since exactly a year ago when he contested the 2000m dirt handicap on this card. A winner once in Britain for Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor, he had opened his local account at the second attempt in a 2400m handicap on the Abu Dhabi turf in November 2019.

O’Shea said: “This is a horse with plenty of ability, but has had a few problems and niggles, thus the year off. We really thought he would need the run, but that guarantees him a place in the Dubai World Cup Carnival which is great for everyone involved.”

A similarly good quality handicap, the Lincoln Navigator over 2000m on dirt, was won in thrilling fashion by Twelfthofneverland, produced to lead close home by apprentice Nathan Crosse to deny Karnavaal who looked all over the winner when hitting the front with 375m remaining. The winner, trained by Satish Seemar was a first UAE winner for owners Dakki Stable at just the third attempt. A 5-year-old entire son of the unheralded Istan, having just his second local outing, after a well beaten UAE debut here at Meydan over 1400m a month ago, won twice in the US prior to joining Seemar. Settled in midfield, in a race contested at a strong gallop, Crosse eased his mount closer on the home turn and found a willing partner who galloped on resolutely, just snatching victory in the final 25m.

It was a fourth win for the young jockey in his first UAE campaign and he said: “It has gone well so far and I am very grateful to Mr Seemar for the opportunity and to the other connections who have given me rides.

“The 1400m was too sharp for him last time and it was his first run for a long time, so he was entitled to improve from it and this extra distance suited him.”

The following 1600m turf handicap, the Lincoln Corsair, produced a similarly exciting conclusion, only this time the line arrived a stride too soon for the fast finishing Kanood who was unable to deny Imperial Empire, ridden by Tadhg O’Shea and completing a rapid double for Seemar. Well away from a wide draw, O’Shea was able to track the leaders before the pair were left in front about 425m out before clinging on grimly. A 4-year-old Dubawi gelding, he was making his local debut and understandably seemingly tired as it was his first appearance since October 2019, his fifth and final start for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby for whom he won once.

O’Shea said: “That was a very good performance and he has surprised me because he is very laid back at home and I had an outside gate, but he jumped well so I was able to get across into a handy position.

“When the leaders faltered I gave him a squeeze and he took off under me, so I would have been disappointed if we had been caught. I think 1400m will be his best trip for the time being at least.”

The opening Lincoln Continental, a 1400m turf maiden, was won stylishly by Spirit Of Light, confidently ridden by Clement Lecoeuvre in the colours of Sayed Hashish for Erwan Charpy. Settled in fourth by the Frenchman, doubling his UAE tally in this his first season locally, the 4-year-old gelded son of Dark Angel quickened past Le Factor with 250m remaining and was never going to be caught afterwards. This, his ninth start, was actually his first on turf after one all-weather appearance in Britain for Godolphin and seven appearances on dirt at Meydan, including fifth in both the 1600m Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas and 1900m Listed Al Bastakiya.

A delighted owner, Hashish said: “We were very keen to try him on turf and this has really been the first opportunity, so we are very pleased. He will be better over 1600m we think.

“He ran some good races on dirt last season, so he handled that surface, but he has a turf pedigree so this was a good fit for him.”

After a Bright Start in the 1900m dirt maiden, the Lincoln Nautilus, the Godolphin horse by that name was in front after about 100m under Pat Cosgrave and had the race in safekeeping with fully 600m remaining. A dirt debutant trained by Saeed bin Suroor, the homebred Medaglia D’Oro 4-year-old gelding ran five times in Britain, thrice finishing second, including on his previous start, his sole all-weather outing, in a 2000m handicap at Chelmsford. Unraced as a juvenile, that was also his first start since being gelded.

Cosgrave said: “We were pretty confident coming here because he had been working very well and his form, on the whole, in Britain was solid.

“I was happy to be positive on him as he stays further and, on pedigree, he is bred to be a dirt horse, but I was pleasantly surprised just how well he did it. It was a pretty taking effort, regarding both his ability and attitude.”

The concluding Lincoln Aviator, a 1600m dirt handicap, looked competitive on paper and so it proved with most of the 12 runners still in contention entering the final 300m. Rich And Famous led from the outset, but was collared about 75m from home by Fabrice Veron, partnering Celtic Prince for Rashed Bouresly. 

Image DRC