Mahbooba shows class

DUBAI — Mahbooba got up under Christophe Soumillon in the final strides to reverse places with earlier conqueror First City to win the 1800m Balanchine Group-2, the highlight of the 11th race meeting of the 2012 Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan Racecourse on Friday evening.

By Hisham Al Gizouli

Published: Sun 19 Feb 2012, 12:33 AM

Last updated: Mon 17 Apr 2023, 9:15 AM

Trained by Mike De Kock on behalf of breeder and owner Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, the Galileo filly was narrowly beaten by First City in the 1600m Cape Verdi Group-2 three weeks ago. “She’s an honest performer but she’s bred to race over extended distance,” De Kock said.

The obvious target for the filly would be the 2400m Dubai Shima Classic Group-1 on the Dubai World Cup night through the 2400m Dubai City of Gold G-1 on the Super Saturday.

De Kock won this title five times. He won it for the first time in 2005 with Monn Dazzle, 2006 Irridescence, 2008 Sun Classqiue and 2011 River Jetez.

Richard Hills gave Kandar Du Falgas all assistance he needed to land the Bani Yas S O D Drilling, a Purebred Arabians Group-2 event contested over 1400 meter at the All Weather surface.

The ten-year-old veteran son of Kesberoy was drawn wide, but he broke nicely and raced from the centre of the field just behind the early speed as the pack turned for home. At this stage, Tadhg O’Shea moved along against the fences to take AF Al Ghabra to the lead with two furlongs remaining and Richard Hills asked his mount to improve. Kandar Du Falgas responded keenly and put on a high speed to win impressively and set a new track record of 1.33.66 seconds. Ironically, Kandar broke the same record set by Dariya which beat him in the same race last season.

Early in the afternoon, debutant Farrier cruised to an easy win under Richard Mullen in the 1400m TB SOG Engineering Maiden opening race on the card. The four-year-old son of Tapit was always going well and travelled nicely before he was asked the question to sprint home very strongly ahead of pace setter Seeking Glory, ridden by Jamie Spencer.

In the third race, a 1200m handicap, Garbah made everything right to win hands and heels under Royston Ffrench. Public choice Lord Tiger didn’t show great speed when the starter said go and dropped to the middle of the field. Richard Mullen tried to make amendments and put him back into contention without much success as the brilliant filly kicked away and went few lengths clear to lead virtually from the wire to the wire.

UAE debutant Alnashmi came from nowhere under Wayne Smith to do the better from hot favourite Radegund Abbey close home.

Meanwhile, a head-to-head battle between Capital Attraction and UAE debutant Tertio Bloom under Per-Anders Graberg ended into a dead-heat finish on the line in the fifth race, a 1400m All Weather Handicap. The two horses went strike for strike before they touched the wire in a breathtaking view.

Capital Attraction is raced by Shaikh Dr. Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, trained by Ernst Oertel in Abu Dhabi and ridden by Mirco Demuro. The final race, a 2000m Handicap was won by Plantagent for trainer Guillermo Arizkorreta under Ibritz Mendizabal.