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Racing at Sharjah on Saturday was highlighted by the fourth edition of the GCC Cup, a 1700m conditions contest afforded Prestige status, carrying a prize fund of AED150,000 and won in a thrilling finish by Al Mustafiz, the race going to Oman as it had last season when it was staged in January.

Racing at Meydan on Thursday evening was highlighted by the biggest Thoroughbred race of the season to date at the UAE’s flagship racecourse, The Entisar, won impressively by For The Top, committed for home fully 700m out and staying on strongly for Antonio Fresu.

Inaugurated in 2013, the 2000m Listed feature was won by subsequent Group One winner Special Fighter in 2015, the first of what is now three victories in the race for Musabbeh Al Mheiri who also saddled Military Law to claim the prize in 2018, also under Fresu.

Saturday’s meeting at Sharjah Longines Racecourse is highlighted by a relatively recent addition to the fixture list, the GCC Cup, with a fascinating field of ten set to face the starter, including last year’s runner-up, Shareq Al Khalediah, representing Saudi Arabia for a third consecutive year.

A valuable 1700m conditions contest afforded Prestige status, carrying a prize fund of AED150,000, it is restricted to horses foaled within the GCC and has thus far been won, in chronological order, by horses trained and bred in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman.

Racing at Meydan on Thursday evening is undoubtedly highlighted by the biggest Thoroughbred race to date this season at the UAE’s flagship racecourse with seven declared for The Entisar, including Plus Que Parfait who will be having his first start for Doug Watson, the most successful trainer in the race’s history.

Inaugurated in 2013, Watson has tasted victory four times in the 2000m Listed feature, most recently in 2018 with Cosmo Charlie, and Plus Que Parfait is a fascinating contender having won his only previous UAE appearance, the 2019 Group 2 UAE Derby, over 1900m as a 3yo.

The third meeting of the Jebel Ali season on Friday afternoon was officially highlighted by a 1200m rated conditions stakes in which Al Tariq produced a gutsy performance to win on his seasonal return under Pat Dobbs.

Owned by Abdulmohsen Al Abdulkareem, the 5yo Oasis Dream gelding has now won half of his six outings since joining Doug Watson. The first was a victory in the 1000m Listed Jebel Ali Sprint in early February, following that 13 days later by winning the 1200m Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint on the dirt surface at Meydan.

Six races at Jebel Ali on Friday for the track’s third meeting of the season, highlighted by a 1200m rated conditions stakes in which Doug Watson appears to hold strong claims, saddling both Al Tariq and Khuzaam, the duo sharing the burden of top weight in a field of eight.

Al Tariq, the mount of Pat Dobbs and a 5yo gelded son of Oasis Dream, was victorious in the 1000m Listed Jebel Ali Sprint before improving on that career best effort when raising his game even further at Meydan, on Super Saturday, when landing the 1200m Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal.

Racing at Meydan on Thursday was highlighted by the only Purebred Arabian race, the Group 2 Bani Yas sponsored by Dubai Police, which opened the card and was won emphatically by RB Rich Lyke Me who proved in a totally different class to his eight rivals.

Making his local debut and first start for Fawzi Nass, who owns the 5yo entire in partnership with Victorious in whose red and white silks jockey Adrie de Vries enjoyed an armchair ride.