Having spent the summer contesting such banner races as the Preakness and the Belmont, Heart Of Honor deserved headline billing at Meydan’s second Dubai Racing Carnival meeting of the season.
Back at the scene of his agonizing defeat in the G2 UAE Derby in April, Jamie Osbourne’s gelding was typically slowly away in the Nakheel Stakes – the final race on the card. Jockey Saffie Osborne didn’t panic, however, taking a route around most of her rivals and getting a good response once in the clear. Heart Of Honor came home well, putting seven and a quarter lengths between himself and second Galactic Star on the line.
It was a relieved Osborne who greeted the winner afterwards. “He’s frightened us many times in races – that’s his style and there’s an element of laziness – but he conserves energy for later on,” he said. “The Listed Entisar in three weeks’ time is the plan, as he won’t have a penalty in that.”
Jim Bryce, who owns Heart Of Honor with wife Claire, added: “It’s such a relief, you know he’s got the class to do it in theory, but there’s no ‘gimmes’ on this racetrack.”
It was a notable victory for Saffie Osborne, too, the jockey having returned from three months out due to injury just yesterday.
“We knew this trip [1600metres] would be on the short side for him, but it was about trying to get him into the best rhythm possible and making sure he had a nice start to the season,” she said.
“He’s obviously a very special horse for all of us and I’m delighted to get his head in front after some pretty tough defeats.”
Bay Back to his Best
The loudest cheer of the night came for Mendelsohhn Bay, who stormed to his second Stakes success in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile (sponsored by Nakheel).
The Bhupat Seemar-trained gelding won the 2024 G3 UAE 2000 Guineas and looked back to his best here, taking on leader and defending champion Meshtri on the bend and powering home by six lengths under Richie Mullen.
“I only got on him mid-season last year and it’s very hard for those three-year-olds against the older horses,” said Mullen. “Before, he could be a bit lethargic in his races but not today – he pinged the gates and traveled.
“I think the obvious target would be the Al Maktoum Mile, although I believe this horse will go further in time.”
Seemar was also responsible for the most heartwarming victory of the evening, which came in the Thunder Snow Handicap, won in emphatic fashion by eight-year-old Remorse.
Sixth in the 2022 Dubai World Cup, Remorse has always been a talented horse and showed all of that here, disputing the lead and charging home by six and a half lengths from Elyabri, in the hands of Tadhg O’Shea.
“He’s a stable favourite, Bhupat’s wife Caroline rides him every day, so I never even get to gallop him – she loves him!” said O’Shea. “Credit to her, she said he was spot on.
“He’s a horse that is dear to me. He gave me my first ever ride in a Dubai World Cup and a Saudi Cup, so the back class was there. With these old horses it’s all about confidence and I was adamant to make plenty of use of him from stall one and let him be a racehorse again.
“He had a bad fall at Abu Dhabi at the end of last season and plenty of horses wouldn’t have come back from a fall like that, so credit to the whole team and his owner, Ali Haddad, who is a very patient man.”
Classic Contender for Charlie
Charlie Appleby horses aren’t usually in action this early in the Carnival but a different strategy paid off when Devon Island took the two-year-old colts’ Palm Central Maiden over 1600metres on dirt.
Ridden by James Doyle, the son of Practical Joke was much the best, powering clear in the closing stages for a five-length win over the closing Brotherly Love. A €650,000 purchase who was second at Kempton on debut, Devon Island now looks bound for the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas in January.
“It was hard to know what to expect,” said Doyle. “He did a good job on debut behind a decent horse of Andrew Balding’s [Item], but then he came here for a trial and I had to watch it several times to pick him out!
“Charlie and his team did say he’d come on from that and he’s done it well. I kept out of the kickback, forfeiting ground, and when he felt another runner come to him he lit up, so I kept up the momentum after that.”
Ahmad bin Harmash has a strong team of two-year-olds and his Yuno ground out success in the Palm Jebel Ali Maiden.
Ridden by Connor Beasley, the daughter of Rock Your World had to work hard to overcome leader Tjareed, but she won with a little in hand, by a length.
“She traveled well, but James [Doyle, on Star Mirage] dropped back a little quicker than I anticipated and when she saw daylight she latched on underneath me,” said Beasley. “We’ve held her in high regard from day one, so to get her under the lights and get the job done is very encouraging.
“She’ll have learned plenty tonight and she just did it under hands and heels. I think she’ll get 1600metres, once she strengthens up properly, as she’s a big filly.”
Beasley rode a double, partnering Musabbeh Al Mheiri’s reliable Echo Point to victory in the Dubai Islands Handicap over 1400metres.
This was a third win in the UAE for the seven-year-old, but a first on dirt, and he did it well, beating Rammayy by six lengths.
Mubeed Majestic in Arabian Feature
Class rose to the fore in the opening G2 Bani Yas (sponsored by Nakheel) for Purebred Arabians when Mubeed got the job done under Ray Dawson.
Dr Jaber Bittar’s dual Group 1 winner probably needs further than this 1400metres so had to work a little around the bend but he got better the further he went and the result was a comfortable four-and three-quarter length win over AA RX Burn.
“I was very happy after the first couple or furlongs as I was concerned about dropping back to seven [furlongs, 1400metres] in a competitive race,” said Dawson. “As soon as he got a bit of kickback he just hesitated a little, but once he got out of that he was very professional and I probably got to the front a bit too soon.”
Arif Khan, assistant to trainer Bittar added: “we only gave him easy work coming into this. The next race for him will be the G1 Maktoum Challenge Round 1 on Festive Friday [19 December].”
Meydan races next on Friday, 5 December when the Listed Al Garhoud Sprint is the feature race.