THE all blacktype card kicked off with an inspired performance in the nine and a half-furlong Listed Al Bastakiya on dirt by Al Bayraq Stable’s Emblem Storm, who was ridden confidently by Oisin Murphy for trainer Satish Seemar. The trainer also saddled the runner-up Tuz, whose only starts previously had been in Russia.

“He is a very straightforward horse to ride and may not be the biggest, but he is all heart,” Murphy said of the winner. “He made my job easy because he jumped well, travelled strongly and then quickened nicely. He had to battle in the straight, but he was a very willing partner and that was a lovely spare ride, so a big thank you to all the connections.”

Seemar immediately followed up with another one-two finish in the $350,000 Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal for dirt sprinters, with Nasir Askar’s Wafy closing resolutely under Tadhg O’Shea to best stablemate Leading Spirit by three-parts of a length. Bred by Shadwell, the blue-blood winning son of Dubawi and Group 1 1000 Guineas winner Ghanaati was winning his second race in a couple weeks and is now undefeated on dirt.

“He is just a very progressive horse, but to be honest, we did not really know what to expect because this was just his second run in a sprint,” O’Shea said. “That said, he was very impressive at Jebel Ali and is at home every morning. He was a bit caught out for tactical speed early on, but he really picked up in exciting fashion in the straight. I assume he will go to the big night.”

W C Racing’s Wildman Jack set a new track record for six furlongs on grass in the $350,000 Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint under Fernando Jara. Victory was American trainer Doug O’Neill’s third of the 2020 DWC Carnival and the first American win on grass in Dubai history. The final margin was nearly five lengths back to Ekhtiyaar, also runner-up in 2019. The homebred son of two-time Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup winner Goldencents, who was also campaigned by W C Racing, was winning for the third time in seven lifetime starts.

“I was very impressed by him,” Jara said. “He’s so fast and didn’t even seem like he was going full speed. He was a different horse today and just got tired going seven furlongs last time. He definitely stepped up today.”

O’Neill added: “That was insane. I don’t even know what to say. That was so powerful and he looked like a winner very early on in the race. I’m so proud of the whole team surrounding him. I’m now fired up to stay injury-free and go on to the big day. He’s always acted special, but you never know how they’re going to mature. He’s just handled everything like a complete pro.

“Tons of credit to the owner, Glenn Sorgenstein, who is just awesome. I watched it with him while on the phone and he’s already packing for the World Cup. He’s such a lover of the sport and I’m blessed to have him as an owner.”

Dirt milers took to the stage in the $350,000 Group 3 Burj Nahaar, but it was a horse making his dirt debut who won impressively. The Fawzi Nass-trained Salute The Soldier stalked and pounced under Adrie de Vries on their way to a five and a half-length win. Foaled in Germany, the son of Sepoy was winning for the sixth time in 16 starts.

“I was pretty confident,” de Vries said. “He’s been working very well on the dirt and we’ve been waiting to run him on the dirt. He showed that he’s maybe even better on the surface. Today he travelled really well into the race, which I like more than making the running. He hit the front and pricked his ears. That’s what I like about him.”

The concluding $350,000 Group 2 Dubai City of Gold was won in determined fashion by Godolphin’s Loxley, beating the hot favourite Defoe by a short head. Giving trainer Charlie Appleby his third consecutive win in the race, the Godolphin owned and bred son of New Approach turned back the clock to his best form of two years ago and won for the fifth time from 16 starts. Mickael Barzalona was completing a double.

Appleby said: “Loxley is a horse we have always really liked, but to be honest, has disappointed in both starts at the Carnival, so it is great to see him get his head back in front with such a nice performance.”