Where The Real World Begins, As Baker’s Dozen Clash In Zabeel Mile

The Dubai Racing Carnival continues at Meydan on Friday, with a pair of group races on tap for the turf milers and main-track sprinters, with the G2 Zabeel Mile the highlight of the nine-race card.

Godolphin's Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is the clear standout on ratings, and won this contest in 2022 before placing second in both the G1 Lockinge S. and G1 Queen Anne S. back on UK soil for trainer Saeed bin Suroor. Now seven, the gelding is aiming at a return to form after running a too-keen fifth in the G2 Al Rashidiya to fellow royal blue colourbearer Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}) locally on Dec. 22.

“Real World won this contest a couple of years ago and ran two excellent races over a mile in Europe the same season,” trainer Saeed Bin Suroor said. “He has been running over further since but should appreciate the drop back in trip. It looks as though he has improved for his run in the Al Rashidiya.”

A former steady fixture in Italian group company, G3 Premio Ambrosiano hero Sean (Ger) (Excelebration {Ire}) now races in the Barratt Racing silks and will make the Godolphin runner's task more difficult.

“It's his first run for us so this is a bit of a fact-finding mission,” said Jamie Osborne, whose multiple Dubai successes include Toast Of New York in the G2 UAE Derby. “It's possible he will need further on this track.”

American ex-pat Doug Watson will saddle the Classic-placed San Donato (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and he has drawn widest in stall 13. The multiple listed winner ran second in the Listed Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup at Abu Dhabi on Dec. 3.

“It's a bit tough from out there but it's a great race for him, albeit Real World is in there and Marbaan for Michael Costa,” said Watson. “I'm looking forward to seeing how he finishes. Hopefully he can get some nice splits from off the pace.”

The race is further enhanced by the presence of G2 Vintage S. hero Marbaan (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) for Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum and trainer Charlie Fellowes.

Sprinters Primed For Dubawi Stakes

In the G3 Dubawi S., one race earlier on the card, Watson will saddle both Sound Money (Flatter) and Colour Up (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}). The former won the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal on Super Saturday last March and was unplaced in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen on Dubai World Cup night, while the latter, a dirt-loving son of Mehmas, earned his first listed badge in the Al Garhoud Sprint last out on Dec. 8.

“Both Sound Money and Colour Up are in really good shape,” said Watson. “The draws are good for both of them; they're horses who don't need to go to the lead; they can settle off it. Colour Up has to step up a bit, with Mouheeb (Flatter) and Tuz (Oxbow) and Sound Money in there, so it will be interesting to see how he goes. I'm really happy with Sound Money and looking forward to getting him started.”

Successful in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas at three and the Listed Al Garhoud Sprint over Group 3 winner Tuz at four in 2022, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Mouheeb went winless in 2023.

“He's had a kind first half of season with the aim of heading towards 8f [1600metres] later on,” said trainer Michael Costa of Mouheeb. “He's a much more relaxed horse this year.”

Another Mahab Al Shimaal hero alongside Sound Money, Eastern World (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will attempt to bounce back to form after making just one start in 2023–a 12th place to Tuz in the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint in February.

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Mouheeb To Bypass Saudi Derby

Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Mouheeb (Flatter), who extended his record to two wins from three starts when taking last week's G3 UAE 2000 Guineas by a neck, will decline an invitation to the $1.5-million Saudi Derby on Feb. 20 and train up to the G2 UAE Derby, worth $750,000, at Meydan on Dubai World Cup night on Mar. 27.

“He will head directly to the UAE Derby and miss the Saudi Derby,” Mohamed Saeed Al Shahi, racing manager for Sheikh Ahmed, told Tamarkuz Media. “He came out of the race well, but His Highness, myself and [trainer] Nicholas [Bachalard] felt he had two tough races and we need to give him a bit more time with the UAE Derby being his main target.”

Mouheeb broke his maiden at first asking at Jebel Ali on Dec. 18 before missing by a head when second to Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial on Jan. 14.

Bachalard added, “We thought he had room to progress between his races and he did. I wasn't sure how much, but he definitely has improved with every run. We think he can handle the added distance in the Derby. We were strongly considering the Saudi Derby, but we just felt that the race took too much out of him and we'll wait.”

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‘Such A Fighter’: Mouheeb Sets Stakes Record In UAE 2,000 Guineas

Thursday's UAE 2,000 Guineas at Meydan Racecourse attracted a select field of just six, but produced a thrilling finish with Mouheeb leading in the dying strides to deny Meshakel who made a gallant effort from the front only to be thwarted. The 3-year-old son of Flatter prevailed by a neck on the wire, setting a stakes record in the process.

“I thought we would be a bit closer than we were, but (jockey) Ryan (Curatolo) rode a great race and the horse ran very well,” said winning trainer Nicholas Bachalard. “We are really happy because it's our first win at Meydan. We thought Zhou Storm would go to the lead (to battle Meshakel), but thankfully our horse ran Meshakel down just at the right time. It would have been a shame to get beaten by a head. We're delighted for the team and for Sheikh Ahmed for believing in us. It hasn't been an easy three years for the stable and now we can pay back some of the trust he had in us. (Mouheeb) still holds an invite for the Saudi Derby, but that's only 16 days, so we'll see how he comes out of the race and go from there.”

Slowly away on both his previous outings, a winning debut over 1200m (six furlongs) at Jebel Ali and just conquered in the UAE 2000 Guineas trial three weeks ago, over the same 1600m (one mile), Mouheeb broke alertly this time.

Settled in third by Curatolo, the Flatter colt was probably five lengths off the eventual runner-up entering the straight with Godolphin's Naval Crown splitting them. That one cried enough in the final 300m, fading into third, when Curatolo had to get very serious with Mouheeb who, as he had done in the trial, responded gamely to gain a gutsy success. They posted the fastest time in the history of the race in the process, 1:36.46. I

t was a first Meydan winner, since taking over at Jebel Ali Stables, for trainer Nicholas Bachalard who, from his previous base in Saudi Arabia, did win the 2017 UAE 1000 Guineas with Nashmiah.

It was a second success from Jebel Ali Stables in this race for the trainer's main patron, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, following in the hoofprints of Market Rally who landed the prize in 2016 for Dhruba Selvaratnam.

Curatolo, riding his first Meydan winner, said: “This horse is such a fighter and to ride my first winner here in a big race is just brilliant.

“I always thought I could get there in that long straight and, credit to the horse who has really fought hard for me. I think he will stay further so I imagine we will look at the UAE Derby but we can enjoy this first!”

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Flatter Colt Up Late For Guineas Score

Mouheeb (Flatter) was a $400,000 selection at last June's OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds In Training, and started out with plenty of expectation riding on his shoulders being a full-brother to the GII Swale S. scorer and GI Champagne S. and GI Malibu S.-placed Favorable Outcome (Flatter), and a half-brother to the listed-winning and multiple graded placed Bellamentary (Bellamy Road). Mouheeb got off the mark on debut on Dec. 18 in a Jebel Ali maiden before finishing a head second to Godolphin's dual winner Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial on Jan. 14, and went one better in his stakes debut in Thursday's G3 UAE 2000 Guineas. Breaking on the rail under Ryan Curatolo, Mouheeb was content to let Meshakel (Ire) (Shamardal) set the tempo, with Godolphin's top-rated Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire} splitting them. About three lengths separated the trio as they ran into the bend, with Mouheeb poised three wide upon straightening. Mouheeb came with a sustained rally under a drive down the middle of the course, and though he may have given his backers a few anxious moments, he reeled in a game Meshakel in the dying strides to win by a neck. Naval Crown stuck on for third, 6 3/4 lengths clear of the remainder of the field.

Curatolo, who was riding his first winner at Meydan, said, “This win means everything to me, I want to thank god, and the connections. The horse proved that he was the best today. He is a very talented horse, and last time we almost got there. He is a bit inexperienced, but he is getting better with time. The trainer did a very good job with him and his rider in the morning did a good job as well, because he can be quite difficult. Today he was more relaxed before the race, and that was good. This is a super special moment for me tonight, I am very pleased for the people who gave me the opportunity, and hopefully I can maintain that. I think this horse can go a bit longer, and his trainer will see what is best for him.”

Pedigree Notes

Mouheeb is the sixth foal out of the Listed Finger Lakes Juvenile Fillies S. winner Shananies Song (Eltish), who had previously produced the aforementioned Favorable Outcome and Bellamentary, and who has a 2-year-old filly by Gun Runner and a yearling son of Candy Ride (Arg).

Thursday, Meydan, Dubai
UAE 2000 GUINEAS SPONSORED BY HAMDAN BIN MOHAMMED CRUISE TERMINAL-G3, $125,000, Meydan, 2-4, 3yo, 8f, 1:36.46, fs.
1–MOUHEEB, 126, c, 3, by Flatter
1st Dam: Shananies Song (SW-US, $158,270), by Eltish
2nd Dam: Shananies Presence, by Shananie
3rd Dam: Presenting, by President (Fr)
1ST STAKES WIN. ($400,000 2yo '20 OBSJUN). O-Sheikh
Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Charles T. Matses (KY);
T-Nicholas Bachalard; J-Ryan Curatolo. $75,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-2-1-0, $96,805. *Full to Favorable Outcome, GSW &
MG1SP-US, $215,059; 1/2 to Bellamentary (Bellamy Road), SW
& MGSP-US, $216,200. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Meshakel (Ire), 126, c, 3, Shamardal–Mehronissa (GB) by
Iffraaj (GB). (500,000gns Ylg '19 TAOCT). O/T-Salem Rashid
Ghadayer; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE). $25,000.
3–Naval Crown (GB), 126, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Come Alive (GB),
by Dansili (GB). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby.
$12,500.
Margins: NK, 3 3/4, 6 3/4. Also Ran: Grand Dubai (Ire), Zhou Storm (GB), Uncle Hamed.
Click for the Racing Post result. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.

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