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Rileyskeepingfaith shines at Meydan

DUBAI - Rileyskeepingfaith, ridden by Ahmed Ajtebi, landed the 1600m A/W Zabeel Mile Group-2, the highlight of the final leg of the 2011 Dubai International Racing Carnival for trainer Mahmoud Al Zarooni at the Meydan Racecourse on Thursday night.

The five-year-old son of Hunting Lion has been raced over the sprint distance and trainer Mahmoud Al Zarooni said the Zabeel Mile was a good opportunity to try him on a new distance. “He was staying on in his races over 1200m so we wanted to try him further. This looked a good opportunity and hopefully we will be back for the Godolphin Mile,” the Godolphin trainer said.

The opening race of the night, a 1400m Turf conditions, The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, restricted to three-year-olds was won by Crying Lightening to give her trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam a first UAE win. Jimmy Quinn partnered the three-year-old filly to glory, which is owned by footballers Joey Barton and Claudio Pizarro.

Frankie Dettori was in the saddle in the second race when Emirates Champion cruised to an easy victory in the 2200m The Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup handicap. Mr Brock made most of the trip under Kevin Shea, dropped back to finish more than four lengths behind in the second place. Bin Suroor said: “We have had a good Carnival and both these are nice horses and hopefully still improving. Emirates Champion is lightly raced and hopefully there is more to come. He is improving all the time and hopefully can continue to do so. Whispering Gallery stays very well and we will have to try him in good company in Europe to give him a chance to prove himself. He needs to improve again but hopefully he can.”

Bin Suroor then saddled his 16^th winner of the 2011 Carnival when Ted Durcan partnered Honour Systems to victory in the 1900m The Dubai Duty Free Double Millionaire handicap. That was to prove decisive as he finished the Carnival one ahead of Mike De Kock on 15. Christophe Soumillon beat Dettori 11-10 in the jockeys’ standings.

Steele Tango encapsulates the Dubai International Racing Carnival representing the small English yard of Roger Teal and he won for a second time when landing the concluding 2000m The Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire, on Turf, under Ryan Moore. As he had done on the opening night, he denied Bin Suroor’s Enak in a thrilling finish to the delight of the trainer who said: “It is totally amazing and a dream come true. Ryan gets on so well with this horse and we will wait and see how he is. It would be lovely to run Dubai World Cup night but, if not, we have Hong Kong or we could just go back to England.”

One horse that will be in action at the Dubai World Cup night is JJ The Jet Plane who won the 1200m Turf handicap, The Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise in fine style for trainer Michael ‘Lucky’ Houdalakis under Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

Results

RACE ONE

6.25pm Thoroughbreds The Dubai Duty Free Championships ‘Conditions’ 1400m (a 7f) sponsored by Dubai Duty Free. Purse: $100,000: 1. Crying Lightening (Peter Chapple-Hyam) Jimmy Quinn 2. Chocolicious (Herman Brown) Ryan Moore 3. Krypton Factor (Fawzi Nass) Kieren Fallon. Time: 1.24.70. Margins: 0.75L/ 2.5L.

RACE TWO

7.15pm Thoroughbreds The Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup Handicap 2200m (a 11f) sponsored by Dubai Duty Free. Purse: $175,000: 1. Emirates Champion (Saeed bin Suroo) Frankie Dettori 2. Mr Brock (Mike De Kock) Kevin Shea 3. Bay Willow (Saeed bin Suroor) Ted Durcan. Time: 2.20.08. Margins: 4.75L/ 0.75L.

RACE THREE

7.50pm ThoroughbredsThe Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprises Handicap 1200m (a 6f) sponsored by Dubai Duty Free. Purse: $175,000: 1. JJ The Jet Plane (Michael Houdalkis) Bernard Fayd’Herbe 2. Iver Bridge (John Ryan) Jimmy Quinn 3. Green Beret (Ali Rashid Al Raihe) Royston Ffrench. Time: 1.10.08. Margins: 1.75L/ 1.75L.

RACE FOUR

8.30pm Thoroughbreds DRC Gold Cup Group-3 3200m (a 16f) sponsored by Dubai Duty Free. Purse: $200,000: 1. Whispering Gallery (Saeed bin Suroo) Frankie Dettori 2- Bergo (Gary Moore) Christophe Soumillon 3. Opinion Poll (Mahmoud Al Zarooni) Ahmed Ajtebi. Time: 2.29.49. Margins: 2.25L/ 2.75L.

RACE FIVE

9.05pm Thoroughbreds The Dubai Duty Free Double Millionaire Handicap 1900m (a 9.5f) sponsored by Dubai Duty Free. Purse: $175,000: 1. Honour System (Saeed bin Suroo) Ted Durcan 2- Haatheq (Ali Rashid Al Raihe) Richard Hills 3. Spring Of Fame (Saeed bin Suroor) Frankie Dettori. Time: 1.59.42. Margins: 1L/ 1.5L.

RACE SIX

9.45pm Thoroughbreds Zabeel Mile Gr-2. 1600m (a 8f) sponsored by Dubai Duty Free. Purse: $250,000: 1. Rileyskeepingfaith (Mahmoud Al Zarooni) Ahmed Ajtebi 2- Fareer (Edward Dunlop) Richard Hills 3. Fanunlater (Marco Botti) Ryan Moore.

Time: 1.37.89. Margins: 2.25L/ 1.5L.

RACE Seven

10.45pm Thoroughbreds Zabeel Mile Gr-2. 1600m (a 8f) sponsored by Dubai Duty Free. Purse: $250,000 1. Steele Tango (Roger Teal) Ryan Moore 2. Enak (Saeed bin Suroor) Frankie Dettor) 3. Wonder Lawn (Mike De Kock) Kevin Shea. Time: 2.05.23. Margins: SHD/ 0.75L.