RACING at Meydan on Friday week was highlighted by the Zabeel Trophy over a mile on the turf, and it was won stylishly by Path Of Thunder, ridden by Richard Mullen and completing doubles for both Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby.

A five-year-old Night Of Thunder gelding, the winner was having just his 11th career start and was enjoying success for the fourth time, having scored three times in Britain, most recently a mile handicap at Newmarket in July.

Appleby said: “We had three runners and thought they all had a good chance. His winning was a bit of a surprise to be honest, but this was a good race for him. He is high in the handicap so options are limited in that sphere, but he has done it nicely tonight and it is nice to see him get his head in front again.”

The meeting kicked off with a six-furlong turf maiden, the first grass race of the Meydan season. Thirteen went to post but a dozen of them may as well have stayed at home, with local debutant Durandal proving a class above the rest.

Ridden by Tadhg O’Shea in the silks of Al Rashid Stables for Bhupat Seemar, the five-year-old gelded son of Dubawi was third on his only previous outing, when trained in France by André Fabre for Godolphin, on the all-weather at Chantilly in November 2019.

The 793-day absence from the track proved no hindrance and, once in front shortly after halfway, the result was never in doubt.

Soon celebrating

Seemar was soon celebrating a double, this time combining with Antonio Fresu who was aboard RRR Racing’s Ranaan in the following six-furlong dirt handicap. The five-year-old Hard Spun gelding was on the heels of the leaders on the home turn and, once in front a furlong and a half out, he was never in danger of being caught.

Having only his third start for Seemar, Ranaan was doubling his career tally having also won in America for Steve Asmussen over the same trip on his racecourse debut in January 2020. Fresu said: “The trainer has been proved right by dropping him back in trip and adding blinkers. Both have worked and he did it nicely.”

The seven-furlong turf handicap was divided, the first division providing Fresu with the perfect opportunity to complete a double of his own, riding for Shadwell and Musabbeh Al Mheiri aboard Alkaamel. The six-year-old Havana Gold gelding had the race in safekeeping inside the final furlong. For Alkaamel it was a fifth career success and second in the UAE. Fresu said: “This horse deserved to win again because he never runs a bad race and that, under a big weight, was a good performance.”

Dramatic finish

The second division produced a dramatic finish with the Mike de Kock-trained Mystery Land looking likely to steal the prize, leading in the dying strides only to be thwarted right on the line by Godolphin’s Silent Film whom he had briefly headed. Ridden by William Buick for Charlie Appleby, Silent Film was forced to dig deep to add this success to a pair of British victories.

A four-year-old New Approach gelding, he has now won half of his six career starts and this victory, albeit a narrow one, should qualify him for the Dubai World Cup Carnival.

Seemar and Fresu completed trebles courtesy of Law Of Peace who flew home in the final furlong to deny Celtic Prince in a mile dirt handicap for Nasir Askar. The five-year-old Shamardal gelding took closer order on the home bend before picking up in style over the closing stages, sticking his head in front as the line approached. He was another doubling his career tally, adding this victory to one in a mile maiden on the Abu Dhabi turf last February.

Amazing evening

The 11-furlong conditions race on dirt also went to Seemar, Tadhg O’Shea in the saddle on Sanad Libya who stayed on dourly to pass early leader Far Sky passing the furlong marker. Owned by H And B, the five-year-old Tapiture entire was registering a third career success. Seemar said: “It has been an amazing evening but we thought we had some good chances and the horses are in great form. This is just great for the whole team who all work so hard.”

Restricted to four-year-olds, a mile rated conditions stakes also went to

Seemar and O’Shea, the imposing Al Nefud following up his impressive local debut when victorious in a similar course and distance contest a fortnight ago.

The gelded son of Dubawi looked an exciting horse winning his maiden and was well on top here from a long way out, becoming a second winner on the card for Al Rashid Stables. O’Shea said: “He is a very nice horse and an exciting prospect. This was a much better race than the last time but he did it nicely.”

Dahawi was never headed in the five-furlong turf handicap, completing a double for Al Mheiri and a fourth winner on the evening for Antonio Fresu.

Kirrane treble highlighted by Al Ain feature race success on AF Ramz

LAST Saturday’s first Al Ain fixture of 2022 was principally made up of races for purebred Arabians.

The feature produced a thrilling finish with AF Ramz just holding off the renewed challenge of Asif. Owned and trained by Khalifa Al Neyadi, the eight-year-old entire was ridden by Sean Kirrane. He was completing a double for the trainer and treble for his apprentice jockey, remarkably all on spare rides that has been scheduled to be partnered by fellow allowance claiming jockey Saif Al Balushi.

A former Blackrock College student, Kirrane said: “It has been an amazing evening and I have been very lucky to get on some nice horses and can only thank the owners and trainers for the opportunities.”

The finale was the only thoroughbred contest on the card, a 10-furlong handicap, and it was won by Sea Skimmer, trained on the track by Kareem Ramadan for his father Mohammed who used to train the eight-tear-old gelded son of Dubawi. It was the younger Ramadan’s second ever winner and first this season with just his fourth runner. The gelding was posting his third career success having won his first two local outings, in the winter of 2017, for Helal Alalawi. It was a first UAE winner for the Italian-born jockey Gabriele Malune in his debut season locally.

Sharjah

Sunday’s fixture at Sharjah Longines Racecourse had a single race for thoroughbreds on the card.

This was the concluding six-furlong handicap, and it was totally dominated by the trio of runners representing Shadwell, Edaraat powering home to land the spoils from the same owner’s Al Hadeer and Mujeeb.

Antonio Fresu partnered the winner for his main local employer, Musabbeh Al Mheiri.

The six-year-old son of Exceed And Excel was winning for the first time in 11 outings in the UAE, though he was a three-time winner when in the care of Roger Varian in Britain.

Double for O’Shea before Seemar lands Abu Dhabi win

MONDAY’S meeting at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club was highlighted by the concluding race, and only thoroughbred contest, a seven-furlong handicap which went to Bhupat Seemar’s Ranchero, the mount of Pat Cosgrave for Diarmuid Clohessy.

A first UAE winner for the owner, at just the second attempt and with the only horse to have raced for him locally, the four-year-old Kodiac colt was doubling his career tally on his sixth start, having previously won in the Godolphin silks for John and Thady Gosden at Nottingham last May. The 550,000gns yearling purchase is a full-brother to Ger Lyons’ 2021 stakes-winning juvenile Geocentric and was bred at Tally-Ho Stud.

Never far off the pace under Cosgrave, the colt was produced to throw down his challenge early in the short straight, the pair hitting the front with a little more than a furlong remaining. The rider found a willing partner and they galloped on strongly to land the spoils stylishly.

Cosgrave said: “The Seemar horses are in great form, so you always have to be hopeful when you get to ride them and this fellow has done that well. He is young and has not had much racing, so you would like to think there is improvement to come.”

The remainder of the card consisted of races for purebred Arabians and the six-furlong maiden for colts and geldings saw Tadhg O’Shea, riding for Ernst Oertel and his main employer, Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda, victorious on AF Ghayyar.

An hour later connections were celebrating a double after O’Shea made every post a winning one aboard AF Musannef in a seven-furlong handicap.