Latest news with #LordNorthHandicap
Khaleej Times
06-02-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Ouzo and Osborne out to shine again at majestic Meydan
History was made on this card 12 months ago when Saffie Osborne became the first female jockey to ride a winner at Meydan. Now, she's back, and will aim to defend the Lord Glitters Handicap on Ouzo. 'I'm really excited to be back in Dubai,' said the rider, who has just returned from a successful stint in Australia. 'It doesn't really feel like a year ago since Ouzo won. The history-making part feels a bit weird as I grew up watching all the best jockeys in the world ride winners at Meydan and it's something that I always wanted to do. Being female or male didn't really cross my mind. 'It's a cool thing to have done and to look back on now, but I want to ride many more winners there in my career.' Trained by Saffie's father Jamie Osborne, Ouzo comes into the Lord Glitters off a sixth-place finish in the Lord North Handicap, a race he also won in 2024, but his rider hopes he will get a better trip through the race this week. 'He seems to be in really good form, talking to Dad, and I thought he was really unlucky last time; he ran really well. With his running style, you do need a bit of luck, so hopefully he'll get that this week.' Among Osborne's rivals is the popular Silver Sword, who lines up for British-based South African trainer Dylan Cunha. He was pleased with his run a month ago, when fifth in the Lord North Handicap 'Silver Sword ran a blinder last time out and with a good draw (2) will hopefully run another good race,' he said. 'All being well both should be in the first four.' The second of the two feature races is the closing Vazirabad Handicap, over 2410metres on turf. Thundering, who provided Spanish Champion Trainer Guillermo Arizkorreta with a memorable Meydan win last time out, faces ten rivals here and gets bottom weight of just 53 kilos. His rivals include the Godolphin trio of El Cordobes, Endless Victory and Royal Power, and Arizkorreta is conscious his gelding may need to step up again. 'Thundering is doing very well after his win,' he said. 'It's a tougher race but he seems in great form.' Another shipping in from overseas is Wafei, trained by Qatar-based Alban De Mieulle for the powerful Wathnan Racing operation, who have five runners on the card. 'Wafei won his two last races in Qatar on the sand track easily,' he said. 'I think he can perform well in this handicap race and the distance should suit him very well. 'He is in good form and did a nice canter this (Wednesday) morning over the Meydan track.' The Dubai Trophy, race three, is a 1200metre dash for the three-year-olds. Charlie Appleby's Symbol Of Honour, who beat subsequent Group 2 winner West Acre in the Al Wasl Stakes last time out, will be hard to catch. Seventh behind them last time was Dylan Cunha's King's Call, who has the benefit of blinkers this time. 'King's Call worked well with the blinkers fitted and we expect a huge run from him,' said Cunha. 'I have just arrived in Dubai and the team here are doing a great job.' De Mieulle is also represented here, saddling four-time winner Rebel Diamond, last seen finishing sixth over a longer trip in Qatar. 'Rebel Diamond is in good form and will come back to the short distance of 1200metres,' said the trainer. 'I think he is better over this distance than his last race over 1500metres when he was pulling. 'The straight line (track) will not be a problem for him.' The opening Azizi Venice Handicap, over 1600metres on turf, looks an open event, with recent Abu Dhabi first and second Folk Festival and No Retreat on the short list, as well as French import Momarasa, who makes his local debut for Doug Watson. Arizkorreta runs El Bosnia, a dual winner in France. 'El Bosnia is a nice horse; a mile is his limit,' he said. 'I hope he will be competitive off his (handicap) mark.'
Khaleej Times
30-01-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
First Conquest to uphold Godolphin honour in Dubai Millennium Stakes
It's fitting that a race named after one of their all-time greats has become a happy hunting ground for Godolphin, and the Dubai-based operation aims for an eleventh win in Friday's G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes. Charlie Appleby has won the race eight times, including the last seven, with his roll of honour including such greats as Ghaiyyath, crowned the Longines World's Best Horse in 2020. This year's runner, First Conquest, isn't quite in his league just yet but was taking when overcoming a slow break and a wide draw in the Lord North Handicap last time out. 'First Conquest won impressively on his first start in Dubai and has come forward for the run,' said Appleby. 'He is stepping into Pattern company and it will be interesting to see how he copes with the rise in class. 'We are dipping our toe at this level to see where his future lies and will hopefully be a lot wiser afterwards.' First Conquest's nine rivals include 'miracle horse' Asaassi, who continued his comeback from a career-threatening injury when the impressive winner of a course and distance handicap four weeks' ago. 'When he came over [from the UK] he had a mystery slice through a tendon and the vets didn't think he'd make it,' said trainer Michael Costa. 'We took last season to just do some foundation work with him and this season he's just continued to improve. 'He's really strengthened up and we're really happy with him. He's been quite on the bridle [keen] in his runs so he's still learning to relax and breathe a bit but he's a very happy horse at the moment. 'He's built up a good association with Ray Dawson, too.' Jamie Osborne runs See Hector, who put in a promising local debut when second to First Conquest. 'He ran very well,' he said. 'We hadn't had him very long and we're still finding out about him, so he ran a really strong race. 'He physically looks a lot better now than he did going into the Lord North, so I'd like to think he's a horse who can progress through the next few runs.' Sean, second to Warren Point in this race last year, also takes his chance for Osborne. 'Sean was just touched off in the Dubai Millennium last year, so he deserves another go,' added the trainer. The main supporting race is the Listed Dubai Sprint (sponsored by Emaar), worth Dh 500,000, which has attracted a field of 11 for the 1200metre turf dash. One of the more interesting runners is G3 winner Romantic Style, who drops in trip and class after finishing second in the G2 Cape Verdi over a mile last time out. 'The Cape Verdi was a messy race, and a mile has always been a slight question mark for Romantic Style in terms of whether she truly sees the trip out,' said trainer Appleby. 'She has strengthened over the winter and dropping back to sprinting could be her gig, looking at her pedigree. She goes into this in great shape, and it will open a few doors if she handles the drop in distance.' Also dropping in trip is Echo Point, impressive winner of a 1400metre handicap last time out. 'To me he's a horse who could go to a mile, but at the same time he's got plenty of speed,' said jockey Silvestre de Sousa. 'He's had plenty of racing, but I still feel he's learning about things.' The Mawj Stakes is a new addition to the Carnival programme this year and the 1400metre three-year-old fillies' event has attracted a field of ten. Among them is Octans, who brings a four-for-six record to the Carnival, her victories all coming at La Zarzuela in Spain. 'She is a lovely filly, she's done everything right from the start,' said trainer Guillermo Arizkorreta. 'She was the best two-year-old filly in Spain, but she's hard to assess against other fillies. I suppose Godolphin's (Mountain Breeze) and Barberot's (Lhakpa) will be hard to beat. There are two British runners in the field; Naana's Diamond, trained by Alice Haynes, and Osborne's Secret Combination, who reverts to turf after finding things tough on dirt last time. 'Secret Combination was moderate on the dirt but she's worked very well on the grass,' said the trainer. The closing Jumeirah Guineas Trial, over 1600metres on turf, sees the return of Appleby's G1 Summer Stakes runner-up Al Qudra, who looks the clear pick on form. Breaking from stall one in the field of ten is The Fingal Raven, who finished third last time over course and distance in the Jumeirah Stakes. 'I love this horse as I've said many times,' said trainer Osborne. 'I think he's got a tremendous amount of ability. He just ran a bit fresh and a bit free on his first start and set it up for (winner Age Of Gold) last time. 'We'll probably run him in a hood just to switch him off a little bit over the mile. He's probably going to be rated 10lbs below the Godolphin horses, but I still have belief he can step up and compete with them.' Pioneering Czech trainer Lucie Botti runs Blewburton, who makes his Meydan debut after five runs in the UK. 'Blewburton is a late addition to our stable and settled in nicely,' she said. 'He's facing a significant challenge in this very competitive renewal, but securing some prize money would be an exceptional achievement for his very enthusiastic owner Muhannad Saleh Al Maskari.'
