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  • 11 January 2023
    Road Bloc and Yas Xmnsor land Wednesday’s delayed Sharjah features

    Sharjah’s Saturday meeting, due to be a quality one, had been postponed after one race but, the remaining five races rescheduled for Wednesday, were highlighted by a pair of 1200m AED200,000 contests, including the only Thoroughbred race, the HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup, a conditions race being contested over 1200m for the first time as the first half of the newly introduced Emirates Sprint Series, the second leg of which is the 1000m Listed Jebel Ali Sprint, staged at Sheikh Ahmed’s own Jebel Ali Racecourse.

  • 11 January 2023
    First 2023 meeting at Abu Dhabi on Thursday looks competitive fayre

    The traditional one Thoroughbred race at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, racing for the first time this year, on Thursday, in this case a 1400m handicap, arguably appears the best race on the six-race card and has attracted a capacity field of 14.

  • 08 January 2023
    Godolphin, Appleby & Buick combine to land Sunday feature at Meydan Racecourse

    Racing at Meydan on Sunday, a non-carnival fixture, was highlighted by the 1600m Zabeel Trophy, a rated conditions stakes contested on a turf track which had benefitted from plenty of recent rain.

    Godolphin’s Sovereign Prince landed the spoils under William Buick, the pair making every post a winning one, skipping clear entering the final 500m and always looking certain to hang on, the homebred 4yo Dubawi gelding now unbeaten in three Meydan turf appearances.

  • 07 January 2023
    Weather scuppers Sharjah card after one race but remaining races rescheduled

    Sharjah’s Saturday meeting, due to be a quality one, was postponed until Wednesday after the opening race with thunderstorms and heavy rain making conditions unfeasible.

    The meeting did at least get underway with a 1200m handicap, for horses born in the UAE and contested, with very poor visibility, in which Richard Mullen was always up with the pace aboard JAP Al Afreet who fought off stablemate JAP Mabroka to supply Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum and Irfan Ellahi a 1-2.

    Sadly the rest of the afternoon was not able to take place but has been rescheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

  • 07 January 2023
    Appleby and Godolphin seeking Zabeel Trophy repeat at Meydan Racecourse on Sunday card

    Racing at Meydan on Sunday, a six-race card, is highlighted by the Zabeel Trophy, a rated conditions contest over a mile on the turf for which eight have been declared, the weights headed by Godolphin’s Sovereign Prince, seeking to emulate stable companion Path Of Thunder who landed this 12 months ago.

  • 06 January 2023
    Doyle treble, including Godolphin and Appleby doubles, as 2023 carnival kicks off in style at Meydan Racecourse

    The eagerly anticipated 2023 Dubai World Cup Carnival kicked off at Meydan Racecourse on Friday, with seven races officially highlighted by the Thoroughbred Group 2 version of the Al Maktoum Challenge R1 over 1600m on dirt and turned into a procession by Algiers.

  • 06 January 2023
    Quality Saturday action at Sharjah

    Sharjah’s Saturday meeting is a quality one with a pair of 1200m AED200,000 contests on the six-race card including the only Thoroughbred contest, the HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup.

    A conditions race, it is being contested over 1200m for the first time as the first half of the newly introduced Emirates Sprint Series, the second leg of which is the 1000m Listed Jebel Ali Sprint, staged at Sheikh Ahmed’s Jebel Ali Racecourse.

  • 05 January 2023
    Cracking card to open 2023 carnival at Meydan Racecourse

    Eagerly awaited, the 2023 Dubai World Cup Carnival gets under way at Meydan Racecourse on Friday, with seven races officially highlighted by the 1600m Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2 for which a capacity field of 16 has been declared, including the first four home from last year’s renewal of the dirt feature.

  • 01 January 2023
    O’Shea starts new year with a Jebel Ali treble

    Racing for 2023 in the UAE kicked off on Sunday, New Years day itself, with seven races at Jebel Ali, highlighted by the 1600m Jebel Ali Mile Prep which was totally dominated by the only mare among the eight runners, Down On Da Bayou likely never seeing a rival under Royston Ffrench, completing doubles for himself, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and Salem bin Ghadayer.

    Now a 6yo, the daughter of Super Saver will surely always be best remembered for her astonishing success, over 1900m at Meydan, in the 2020 Group 3 UAE Oaks, a contest she won by more than 18 lengths.

  • 30 December 2022
    Jebel Ali kicks off UAE racing for 2023 on Sunday

    The Jebel Ali Mile Prep is the highlight of Sunday’s first UAE fixture of 2023, obviously at Jebel Ali over 1600m, and for which eight have been declared, three of which will carry the famous yellow silks of racecourse patron Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

    Two of the trio are trained at the adjacent Jebel Ali Stables by first season UAE handler Michael Costa, with Mersaal seemingly the main hope and the mount of stable jockey Jean Van Overmeire.

  • 24 December 2022
    Al Jahoori & Pinheiro doubles followed by a Fresu brace, including feature, as Sharjah stage final UAE fixture of 2022

    The final UAE racing fixture of 2022 was staged at Sharjah on Saturday afternoon, highlighted by the GCC Cup, a 1700m conditions race with Prestige status, open to Purebred Arabians foaled in the GCC (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE) and won in stunning fashion by ES Abu Mousa who devoured the dirt in the final 250m to snatch victory, Antonio Fresu in the saddle for Hamad Al Marar in the colours of Obaid Ali Murshed Khamis Al Marar. The 6yo entire, literally, appeared to be travelling at least twice as fast as runner-up Hakaam with the wining post looming.

  • 23 December 2022
    Seemar and O’Shea land Meydan feature but plenty of doubles on rest of quality card

    Racing at Meydan for 2022 concluded on Friday with a quality card highlighted by the Listed The Entisar, over the same 2000m on dirt as the Dubai World Cup, and totally dominated by Bhupat Seemar whose two runners, among a field of seven, fought out the final 175m between themselves, Remorse and Tadhg O’Shea denying James Doyle aboard stablemate Bendoog.

    A 5yo gelded son of Dubawi owned by Al Rashid Stables, he was going one place better than last year when he was runner-up behind For The Top who was well beaten this time.

  • 23 December 2022
    UAE racing bids 2022 farewell with competitive Sharjah card on Saturday

    The privilege of hosting the final UAE race meeting of 2022 is afforded to Sharjah where six races will be staged on Saturday afternoon, highlighted by the GCC Cup, a 1700m conditions race with Prestige status, open to Purebred Arabians foaled in the GCC (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE).

  • 22 December 2022
    O’Shea lands Abu Dhabi Championship double on capital card which mixed quality with quantity

    The Thoroughbreds were the centre of attraction at Abu Dhabi on Thursday, seven runners, by far the smallest field on the six-race card, facing the starter in the 2200m Listed Abu Dhabi Championship and won in stylish fashion by the only filly in the race, the 4yo Wickywickywheels, saddled by Bhupat Seemar for the ever enthusiastic James ‘Jimmy’ Mearns Long who also bred the 4yo daughter of his own The Carbon Unit and completing an Abu Dhabi Championship double for Tadhg O’Shea.

  • 22 December 2022
    Racing at Meydan ends 2022 with quality card and a welcome turf return

    Racing at Meydan for 2022 concludes on Friday with a quality seven-race card highlighted by the Listed The Entisar, over the same 2000m on dirt as the Dubai World Cup as well as the first four turf races at the track this season.