doug watson | Horse Racing Free Tips

Empire Maker Filler Mnasek Dominates UAE Oaks

The second fillies' Classic of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, the 1900m (1 3/16 miles) dirt Group 3 UAE Oaks, was turned into a procession by Mnasek who scored a 6 1/2-length victory under Pat Dobbs, the pair far too good for six toiling rivals.

It was a third UAE Oaks success in six years for Dobbs, actually riding this filly for the first time in a race, and Doug Watson who also combined to land the race in 2016 with Polar River and Rayya two years later.

“She just goes out there and and tries hard,” said Watson. “We've done very little with her since she ran. She's a small filly and she has a lot of talent. We worked her in company out of the gate and that helped. Today she didn't enjoy being behind and when she was tipped out you could see it. She was the best filly. I don't know if they'll want to run her in the Derby, but who knows. Fair dues to Shane (Ryan, starter) and the gate crew. The did a great job helping us out. Obviously, she's a little funny in the gate and she broke great tonight. (The owners) should send her to America. That's her second win here. She's got a lot of options over there. If she stays sound and training like she is, she could win over there.”

Owned by Al Rashid Stables, the daughter of Empire Maker won her debut, over 1400m (seven furlongs), in December despite completely blowing the start. She was then very slowly away over 1600m (one mile) in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas, staying on late to snatch second.

However, she broke on level terms this time and, once switched off the rail about 1200m from home, soon loomed as a massive danger to Godolphin's Last Sunset who hit the front, briefly, leaving the home turn. As soon as Dobbs said 'go' the race was over with Last Sunset losing second place close home to Nayefah who stayed on dourly having been held up in last.

“She's very brave,” jockey Pat Dobbs said of Mnasek. “She didn't enjoy the early part of the race, getting the kickback, but once she got out, she travelled super. She stays very well. She's a little bit light-mouthed, but she's got a big heart and is a lovely mover.”

The post Empire Maker Filler Mnasek Dominates UAE Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Empire Maker Filly Runs Away With UAE Oaks

Mnasek (Empire Maker), a $15,000 purchase by Al Rashid Stables at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale last June, continued to write her fairytale story at Meydan on Thursday, posting her second win from three starts and first stakes win with a facile score in the G3 UAE Oaks. A longshot 6 3/4-length winner on debut going seven furlongs at Meydan on Dec. 17, Mnasek had to settle for second, seven lengths behind Saturday's Saudi Derby contender Soft Whisper (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), after missing the break in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas up to a mile on Jan. 28.

Away much more smoothly up to 1900 metres on Thursday, Mnasek broke on top from the rail but soon dropped back to allow Jumeirah Beach (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) to take up the running. Fourth and about three lengths off the lead rounding the first bend, jockey Pat Dobbs made a deliberate move to put the filly on the outside midway down the backstretch and she was poised ominously four-wide rounding the bend. Shooting to the lead as they straightened, Mnasek drew clear effortlessly to crush her overmatched opposition by 6 1/2 lengths. Nayefah (Super Saver) made eye-catching headway late to be second, while Last Sunset (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was third.

Winning trainer Doug Watson said, “She just goes out there and tries hard. We've done very little with her since she [last] ran. She's a small filly and she has a lot of talent. We worked her in company out of the gate and that helped. Today she didn't enjoy being behind and when she was tipped out you could see it. She was the best filly. I don't know if they'll want to run her in the [G2 UAE] Derby, but who knows. Fair dues to Shane [Ryan, starter] and the gate crew. They did a great job helping us out. Obviously, she's a little funny in the gate and she broke great tonight. [The owners] should send her to America. That's her second win here. She's got a lot of options over there. If she stays sound and training like she is, she could win over there.”

Dobbs added, “She's very brave. She didn't enjoy the early part of the race, getting the kickback, but once she got out, she travelled super. She stays very well. She's a little bit light-mouthed, but she's got a big heart and is a lovely mover.”

Pedigree Notes

Mnasek is the sixth foal out of her GII Bayakoa H.-winning dam Washington Bridge (Yankee Gentleman), who was bred by Brereton Jones and bought by Don Alberto Corp. for $750,000 at Fasig-Tipton's November sale in 2013 in foal to Tapit, having been bought by Town and Country Farm as a maiden mare for $330,000 at Keeneland January the year prior. Washington Bridge is out of the listed-winning Stirling Bridge (Prized), who has also produced the multiple listed winner Jose Sea View (Badge Of Silver). The third dam is the GIII Suwannee River H. scorer Early Lunch (Noble Table). Washington Bridge, who was offered at Keeneland November last year but led out unsold at $37,000, has a 2-year-old filly by Street Sense named West Love, a yearling full-sister to Mnasek and was bred to Liam's Map for 2021.

The post Empire Maker Filly Runs Away With UAE Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Colts Line Up for UAE 2000 Guineas as Carnival Continues at Meydan

The 1800-metre G3 UAE 2000 Guineas is one of two group races on the third card of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, and drew a sextet of entries led by Godolphin's Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The 104-rated bay, tops for the field, has never been off the board in five starts. Listed-placed at second asking at Ascot in July, the Charlie Appleby trainee graduated by 4 1/2 lengths in a 1400-metre York maiden on Aug. 21. His final two runs of the season were both thirds-in the Sept. 6 G3 Prix la Rochette at ParisLongchamp and when tiring after setting the pace in Saint-Cloud's G3 Prix Thomas Byron on Oct. 2. The 2000 Guineas is his dirt bow.

If the colt won, it would be a third UAE 2000 Guineas for Appleby, who said, “He is a solid little horse and we debated whether to keep him to turf or try the dirt, but his work at home, on dirt, has been very good, so we thought it was worth a crack.”

Next on ratings is Mouheeb (Flatter) from the yard of Nicholas Bachalard at 95. A winner at first asking at Jebel Ali in December, he was runner-up in a one-mile conditions affair locally on Jan. 14, one better than dual Meydan winner Zhou Storm (GB) (Due Diligence).

Bachalard said, “He had a very hard race in the trial, but seems to have come out of that in great shape, so we hope, he has a live chance.”

Also on Thursday is the G3 Firebreak S., which marks the return of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's G1SW Matterhorn (Ire) (Raven's Pass). The 6-year-old entire has progressed steadily through the ranks, and, after running third in this race last year, he stretched out in trip to take the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 by daylight on the front end in March.

Meydan veteran Kimbear (Temple City) receives a slight class break after running eighth in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 on Jan. 21. The 7-year-old Doug Watson charge is a two-time group winner in the UAE after success in the 2018 G3 Burj Nahaar and 2020 G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1, with the re-opposing Secret Ambition (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) second both times.

Watson told the Meydan notes team, “He needed that first run, probably more than we realised, but is training very well and seems in great form. We have put a visor on him so, being drawn one, I guess we will have to be quite positive and go forward.”

The latter, who struck at the Group 3 level at Jebel Ali in January of 2019, reversed fortunes with Kimbear with a one-length score in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile in December of 2019. He is also a two-time Firebreak bridesmaid in 2019 and in 2020. Trained by Satish Seemar, the 8-year-old entire ran third in the G3 Jebel Ali Mile on Jan. 22.

Assistant trainer Bhupat Seemar said, “The Jebel Ali Mile was only 13 days ago, but he seems to have recovered well. Drawn widest of all in six is probably not ideal, but he has run well in this before and never has a bad race.”

The oversubscribed Listed Dubai Sprint is a six-furlong contest on turf, and Ekhtiyaar (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) represents the Doug Watson barn. Bearing the Shadwell colours, the gelding, a dual runner-up in the 2019/20 G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, returned to take fourth after a 320-day break in a handicap at Meydan on Jan. 21.

Richard Barnes's Could Be King (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) has been MSP at the listed level throughout his career and he added another runner-up effort in the Listed Testimonial S. at The Curragh in October. The gelding was a one-paced fifth, one behind GSP Silver Line (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and one better than MGSP Final Song (Ire) (Dark Angel {Aus})-both of whom run for Godolphin–in the Jan. 21 G2 Al Fahidi Fort for trainer Ken Condon.

Godolphin fields the majority of the entrants in the Listed Meydan Cup over 2810 metres of sod, with seven entered. MGSW Ispolini (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was off the board in the Jan. 21 Listed Dubai Racing Club Classic most recently and looks to rebound for Charlie Appleby. French Group 3 winner Moonlight Spirit (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and listed winner Ghostwatch (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) are also signed on for Appleby. GSP Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) ran second in a listed handicap here on Jan. 21 for Saeed bin Suroor, while Global Heat (Ire) (Toronado {Ire}) saluted for the same yard in a Jan. 14 handicap.

Communique (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}), second in a German Group 1 this past fall for Mark Johnston, now races for Salem bin Ghadayer and bids to improve off a 12th in a listed handicap here on Jan. 21. MSP Chouain (Fr) (Rajsaman {Fr}) represents trainer Miroslav Rulec and won a Deauville contest on Dec. 27.

Click here to view the group fields.

The post Colts Line Up for UAE 2000 Guineas as Carnival Continues at Meydan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Secret Ambition, Kimbear Renew Rivalry In Dubai This Thursday

Old rivals Secret Ambition and Kimbear spark anew their competitive relationship this Thursday in the Group 3 $130,000 Firebreak Stakes at Meydan Racecourse. Rated 109 and 108, respectively, the pair have faced off seven times, dating back to the 2018 Burj Nahaar (G3) when RRR Racing's (HH Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi) Kimbear defeated Nasir Askar's runner-up Secret Ambition.

In four of their seven meetings, they have finished adjacent on the results chart, including three one-two finishes. All in all, Kimbear has a 4-3 lead on his friendly foe.

“He's a nice horse and has always been great to train,” trainer Doug Watson said of Kimbear. “He drew the rail and we are putting the visor on him for the first time, so we'll likely go forward with him. He doesn't need the lead, but having the visor and the one-hole definitely gives away that we have to be up there. He needed that last race and that should have set him up for this. I'd like to think he will run well if all goes to plan and I hope he runs a good race.”

Overall, Kimbear has a record of 24-4-7-4 and has not won since the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 13 months ago—a race in which he defeated Secret Ambition and North America by a pair of noses. He exits his first race in 10.5 months when an uninspired eighth of 11 in a defense attempt. Pat Dobbs will be aboard, as he has been in all 14 of his UAE starts.

Satish Seemar-trained Secret Ambition enters off a respectable second in the Jebel Ali Mile (G3) as the market favorite and wheels back on just 13 days. He must shake off his 'seconditis' to win on Thursday, as he has finished thus in four of his past five tries. Overall, the 8-year-old son of Exceed and Excel seeks his 10th victory in what will be his 40th start and breaks from the outside post in the sextet with leading rider Tadhg O'Shea.

“Secret Ambition is in good form,” said Bhupat Seemar, assistant trainer. “Hopefully he's recovered well from the Jebel Ali Mile. He doesn't have the best of draws in six out of six, but he was second in this last year (to Capezzano) and Secret Ambition never runs a bad race. With a bit of luck, he should win or be right there.”

Capezzano's trainer Salem bin Ghadayer starts Matterhorn, unraced since romping in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 in March. The son of Raven's Pass has won nine of 22 and was third in this last year. Mickael Barzalona has the mount once again, with their only partnering being his last-out career-best performance. He leads the ratings at 113.

Multiple G3 winner Trancaferro (rated 106) will hope to continue the top form of Uruguayan trainer Antonio Cintra, who won last week's Al Bastakiya Trial with El Patriota. A stakes winner from 1800m to 2400m, Trancaferro will be traversing a trip below his optimal under Bernardo Pinheiro.

Hypothetical (97) has a great deal to find on ratings for the same Fazza Racing team as Matterhorn and exits a disappointing fourth in the Jebel Ali Mile. Oasis Charm (100) makes his dirt debut and appears to be using the race as a fitness builder for a turf return.

The post Secret Ambition, Kimbear Renew Rivalry In Dubai This Thursday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post