DDF horse race meetings

DUBAI - Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, joined Her Majesty The Queen for lunch in the Royal Box, but, while Her Majesty’s much-heralded Caraboss had to be content with second place, there were plenty of UAE celebrations, with both Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Finance Minister, and leading businessman Saeed Manana getting on the scoresheet.

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Published: Sun 17 Apr 2011, 1:04 AM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 8:42 AM

Shaikh Hamdan was present to watch his Oasis Dream filly Hezmah make a winning debut in the Coln Valley Stud Bridget Maiden Fillies’ Stakes, in which Princess Haya of Jordan’s Misrepresent, like the winner trained by John Gosden, flew home to be an eye-catching third.

Gosden said: “Hezmah is a big girl and I told Richard (Hills) to make good use of her long stride and allow her to find a rhythm. She will be even better when stepped up to a mile and we might have a look at a conditions race at Ascot before thinking of bigger targets.”

Saeed Manana has done Clive Brittain proud over the years – Warrsan, Luso and Needle Gun to name but three – and he looks to have another nice prospect for the Newmarket trainer in Sikeeb, who galloped home by two and three-quarter lengths in the Dubai Duty Free Full of Surprises Handicap.

Bruce Raymond, racing manager to the winning owner, said: “Sikeeb won well at Goodwood early on last year but then had a bit of time off, and when he came back in the autumn at Redcar on soft ground he got a bit lost. He picked up well and could be nice.”

Just two weeks before Prince William’s wedding, everyone was willing for Caraboss to give The Queen a Royal victory in the Robert Sangster Memorial Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (Div 1), but, sadly, William Buick had not read the script and he forced Khalid Abdullah’s Imperial Pippin up close home to beat Her Majesty’s odds-on favourite by a neck.

Shaikh Hamdan had high hopes of a double with Thimaar in the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup Stakes, but the favourite had no answer to the change of gear produced by Cai Shen, who completed a double for Richard Hannon and Richard Hughes, earlier successful in the two-year-old race with Magic City, who looked potential Royal Ascot material as he sizzled home by six lengths in the opener.


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