Sport | Horse Racing
Fast and Furious hitchen a ride
Focus on Barron-trained horse for Dubai World Cup night after coming home in the Al Shindagah Sprint at Meyden
- By Leslie Wilson Jr, Racing & Special Feature Writer
- Published: 00:00 February 4, 2012
- Image Credit: Virendra Saklani/Gulf News
- Hitchens, ridden by Silvestre De Sousa and trained by David Barron, wins the tightly contested Al Shindagah Sprint sponsored by Gulf News, from Kieren Fallon-ridden Krypton Factor at Meydan Racecourse on Friday afternoon.
Dubai: Hitchens, trained in North Yorkshire by David Barron, officially threw down the sprinting marker to his rivals when he won a thrilling renewal of the Group Three Al Shindagah Sprint sponsored by Gulf News on a action-packed Dubai World Cup Carnival meeting at Meydan Racecourse.
The seven-year-old son of Acclamation ran a cracker under Brazilian jockey Silvestre De Souza to deny Krypton Factor, the mount of former six-time British champion Kieren Fallon, for a short-head victory in a race that is regarded as a pointer to the UAE's major sprint races — the Mahab Al Shimal (Group Three) and Dubai Golden Shaheen (Group One).
Barron was delighted after saddling his first winner in the UAE and said: "He has been a great servant to us and this is a big win on the international stage for a lower profile yard.
"Super Saturday and then, hopefully, World Cup night, will be next on the agenda."
De Souza, who finished runner-up to Paul Hanagan in the 2011 British jockey's championship was completing a meet double, having earlier booted home the Ali Rashid Al Raihe-trained Factory Time in the Meydan Classic Trial sponsored by Xpress.
Factor Time was also providing the champion trainer with a second winner on the afternoon after Maraheb, originally the second reserve, made most of the running to win the opening 1,600m Freehold Trophy handicap.
Stable jockey Royston Ffrench said: "He was very lazy early on but responded each time I asked him and once we hit the front I was always confident he would hold on. The yard have been in great form all season and hopefully it will continue."
Godolphin's Frankie Dettori also picked up a double following the success of Gamilati in the UAE 1000 Guineas when he rode a confident race aboard Fox Hunt to win the tabloid! Trophy over 2,810m.
UK-based trainer Robert Cowell won the 1000m Classifieds Trophy with Monsieur Joe.
More from Horse Racing
More from Sport
Multimedia
Sport Editor's choice
-
A Christian comment: France can flourish
World Cup-winner Karembeu predicts big things for his country
-
Japan in quarters of AFC Futsal championship
Thrash Tajikistan 6-1 at al wasl club to seal place in knockout
-
High-quality runners set for action
Field includes Smart-trained Group 1 winners Aziz, Harran and Areej
