Khawlah wins UAE Derby

Khawlah stamped herself as a filly to watch after recording a hard-fought victory in the $2 million (Dh7.35 million) UAE Derby (Group 2) to give Godolphin trainer Saeed Bin Surour a seventh success in the race.
 

Ridden by teenage French jockey Mickael Barzalona, the UAE Oaks winner won by a nose from Irish hope Master Of Hounds, who was shaping like a winner under three-time British champion jockey Ryan Moore.

But it was the Cape Cross filly who was travelling faster of the two as the Meydan finish-line loomed.

Bin Suroor was all praise for his horse and said: "What more can I say of her? She's a really tough filly, she won the UAE Oaks last time and she was doing really well before the race."

"She's such a fantastic filly and she has a toughness that is not too evident. I think Mickael [Barzalona] made the right move at the right time. She was so relaxed during the race, but the final 100 metres were unbearable for me to watch, but she came up with flying colours."

"We thought she was one of our best chances of the night. We will take her back to Europe now and she could have the target of the English Oaks, maybe with a run in the Musidora at York first."

Barzalona, who has been a perfect aide to the Godolphin second-string horses, was delighted and said: "Nothing really happened the way I wanted it to. I wanted to have a horse I could follow and I couldn't find that."

"But she was extremely brave and she managed to overcome all the odds. It was a dream of mine very early on as a child to win here and now I'm glad I've accomplished it."

Simon Crisford, the Godolphin Racing Manager added: "She is a filly that is so progressive. She is definitely a top filly who is yet to prove what she is capable of."

"Barzalona gave her such a great ride. But what I noticed of her is that she is ready for more. She fought for every inch today and we think that a mile and a half will be the right sort of distance for her during the summer."

Master Of Hounds ran a big race on his All-Weather debut while Mike De Kock's stayed on to finish third.

Irish great O'Brien, saddling his first runner in Dubai for six years, said: "It's a real privilege to be here, I am so honoured to be asked by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to come and the treatment we have had is incredible."

"People have to see this place to believe it, it's an incredible place. The vastness, the glamour and the size of it all — no words can do it justice.

"We were delighted with both horses [O'Brien also saddled Alexander Pope]. Master Of The Hounds ran a stormer for his first run of the year. He had good form last year and is a big, powerful colt.

"He got a little tired in the last 50 yards, but Ryan gave him a great ride."
 

As for Gulf News selections for the winner, this is four on the trot so far.

RESULTS

— With inputs from Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter and Ashley Hammond, Staff Reporter