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!”
The post ‘Such A Fighter’: Mouheeb Sets Stakes Record In UAE 2,000 Guineas appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
