Saeed bin Suroor’s long-standing love affair with the Dubai Racing Carnival continued last Friday as he claimed a record-equalling sixth win in the Group 2 Cape Verdi.
The Godolphin-owned Dubai Beach showed plenty of determination to edge out South African raider Quid Pro Quo and stable companion Dubai Treasure in a thrilling race.
Jockey Kieran Shoemark showed plenty of strength in the finish to deliver a winning return to punters who backed Dubai Beach to emerge victorious.
Dubai Beach was rated as a 3.00 shot to win the race by the horse racing betting sites featured on comparison platform Arabs Win (ref: arabswin.com/en/) and he got the job done with a gritty performance.
The victory at Meydan Racecourse was particularly poignant for the trainer, as the race is named after Cape Verdi. Bin Suroor trained her to win the 1000 Guineas (G1) in 1998.
The Cape Verdi race is viewed as a key stepping stone to the Group 2 Balanchine, which is named after the horse who won The Epsom Oaks and the Irish Derby in 1994.
“She made a little hard work of it, but she’s clearly improving and this fillies’ division is there for the taking,” Shoemark said.
“She’ll stay nine furlongs as she hit the line strongly today so she should have no trouble seeing it out (in the Balanchine).”
Labwah Hits the Jackpot in the Cocoa Beach Stakes
Salem bin Ghadayeh’s filly Labwah showcased her Dubai Classic credentials with a hard-fought victory over Tjareed in the Cocoa Beach Stakes.
She looked beaten under jockey Bernardo Pinheiro, but battled back in the final furlong to claim a narrow victory. The front two were a long way clear of the third horse.
“If you go back through the replay, you can see when Tjareed passed me I still hadn’t used the whip,” Pinheiro said.
“She was fresh from the gates, she travelled well and she has a big heart so I knew she could come back and fight.
“I never gave up and she didn’t either. This is a special feeling for a jockey – when you ride a winner fighting back there are a load of emotions inside, which are hard to describe.”
Pinheiro and Bin Ghadayer completed a double in the penultimate Azizi Mina Handicap with Folk Festival, who produced a power-packed finish to win the race.
Wathnan Racing Striker Twice at the Festival
Wathnan Racing and trainer Hamad Al Jehani recorded a nation-themed double, with English Oak and French Duke winning their respective races.
English Oak triumphed in the Burj Azizi Handicap, which was a welcome return to form for a horse who had previously won at Royal Ascot.
The six-year-old overcome a slow start and trouble in running to win by half a length from Laneqash under jockey James Doyle.
“We got very excited when he won the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot,” said Doyle.
“We thought he could be a potential Group horse, but things didn’t quite go his way.
“He seems to have relished being out here in sun and training around a bend. We had actually planned to be a little bit further forward.
“The runs did open up turning in but it’s a long straight so I just waited with him a little longer so we weren’t in daylight for too long. We got plenty of enjoyment out of it, so hopefully he did too.”
Burke Gets on the Board for the UK
There was a rare UK-trained winner on the dirt when Antrim won the Azizi Milan Handicap on his Dubai debut for Karl Burke.
The four-year-old was part of a huge winning bet for one lucky punter, who secured a whopping £113,436.14 payout from a £12.40 stake.
Impressive Act (22/1) won the seven-furlong Azizi Creek Views Handicap, before Jamra Sb (12/1) claimed victory in the following race.
Antrim (10/1), Yotarid (18/1) and Folk Festival (5/1) completed a remarkable day for the lucky bettor, who chose to remain anonymous.