Musir with Christophe Soumillon in the saddle produced a storming run down the Meydan straight to out gun his stable companion the three year old filly Raihana and Kevin Shea to win the UAE Derby. In doing so he gave trainer Mike de Kock a remarkable fifth UAE Derby winner, and maintained the stranglehold that he and Saeed bin Suroor have on this race, as the only two trainers ever to win it. Bin Suroor has six wins to de Kock’s five. Image by Andrew Watkins/DRC.

The race was set up by another of de Kock’s runners in the field, Solid Choice and Keagan Latham, who set a scorching pace from the off and making it a true test of stamina. Soumillon was content to bide his time with Musir, and rode a patient race on the favourite, picking of his rivals then coming with a sustained run up the rail to go by the filly Raihana who lost nothing in defeat.

Afterwards Christophe Soumillon said “I was on a very good horse, and he showed a lot of courage in the straight. He had lot of weight and was racing over further than he’s been before. I was able to sit behind good horses. He had to go through a gap and he did. He finished like a really good horse.

A delighted Mike de Kock said of his fifth UAE Derby winner, I wasn’t sure that he would stay, to be honest, but Christophe (Soumillon) thought he would, and he was right. It is fantastic to have a one two for Sheikh Mohammed, and a great result for him as he bred them himself. It’s huge.

Kevin Shea was full of praise for the runner up Raihana “What can I say? She was absolutely brilliant. She travelled so well, I thought I was going to win, but not against Musir – he was just too good.”

Frankie Dettori fared best of the rest aboard Godolphin’s Mendip, and said” We had a mix up on the bend, when Timely Jazz broke down, but he ran an honest race and I’m pleased with him. He was beaten by two nice horses.”