Fast and Furious hitchen a ride

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.