THE feature on the opening day of the 2023 Dubai World Cup Carnival yesterday was the $250,000 Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1. Run over a mile on dirt, it attracted a quality field of 16 runners, including the first four home in the race 12 months ago.

Last year’s winner Golden Goal was one of the first beaten, but few had any chance once the six-year-old Irish-bred Algiers set sail for home under James Doyle. The Crisford father and son team of Simon and Ed had enjoyed success with the entire last year, winning the Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile in February, and based on this performance the Hamdan Sultan Ali Alsabousi-owned winner could have a rewarding Carnival.