Dubai: An upset is defined as a win by a lesser fancied horse over a favourite, and there were plenty of them on Super Saturday at Meydan, the traditional dress rehearsal for the Dubai World Cup meeting in three weeks times.
The afternoon of shocks began when Yulong Warrior, a smart acquisition by veteran Dubai trainer Satish Seemar at Goffs London Sale in June 2017, destroyed his 12 rivals to hack home in the Listed Al Bastakiya over 1,900 metres on dirt, a trial for the UAE Derby on March 31.
Ridden with confidence by Richard Mullen, the son of Street Cry was smartest out of the gates before he was allowed to settle into a nice long-striding rhythm at the head of the field.
The favourite, Masar, ridden by William Buick in the Godolphin all blue silks, was a handy third behind Roy Orbison only to lose ground on the final turn.
As the field settled for the run to the judge Yulong Warrior began to stretch out and comfortably pulled clear to win by ten lengths from Poland’s Nordic Defence with Rua Augusta, staying for third.
Masar finished 10th after clearly not relishing the fast dirt surface at Meydan
Seemar, who was shopping for his childhood friend and owner Bobby Kapoor, who runs a syndicate with his daughter Avni and son Niravm splashed out £360,000 for Yulong Warrior at the pre-Ascot sale in England.
“This horse is improving with time,” the trainer said.
“I always knew that if you gave him distance he will really appreciate it and today he was loving it.
“I think anything up to 2,000, and he’ll love it. He’ll go to the UAE Derby now, and we’re very hopeful.”
Yulong Warrior is scheduled to be targeted at races like the Windsor Castle Stakes and Chesham Stales in the UK this summer.
The upsets continued into the second race of the afternoon, when Jordan Sport, owned and trained by Bahraini Fawzi Nass, reprised Yulong Warrior’s impressive performance to win the Group 1 Mahab Al Shimaa, sponsored by Emirates Skywards, a prep for the $2million 1200m Dubai Golden Shaheen on Dubai World Cup day.
A shrewd £90,00 purchase at the Tattersalls Autumn Sale in 2017, the son of Dubawi, who was notching his second victory at Meydan has emerged as a front-runner for the sprint showpiece on March 31.
Yalta, the mount of Mickael Barzalona, was 7½ lengths back in second and Wild Dude, a further 1¾ lengths in third.
“We expected him to run well but he exceeded our expectations,” said Nass. “Obviously the target will the Golden Shaheen which is a race that’s special to us as we won it in 2012 with Krypton Factor.
“We are a small stable but we focus on quality. It’s our philosophy.
“This fella I picked at the Autumn Sale, or rather he picked me. I seem to have a thing about sprinters,” added the Bahraini who has brought four horses to the Carnival.
Godolphin handler Charlie Appleby saddled three winners on the seven race card, the first of these wins coming courtesy Jungle Cat in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint over 1,200m, a prep for the $1million Al Quoz sprint over the same course and distance on March 31.
Ertijaal, the hot favourite, was 2¼ lengths second and Godolphin’s Top Score a shorthead back in third.
“We wanted to give him a run before Dubai World Cup day,” said trainer Ali Rashid Al Rayhe. “He’s not fully ready but hopefully he’ll come on for this race. So we are still hopeful of a better performance on the big day.”
James Doyle rode a blinder aboard Blair House to deny the heavily fancied Benbatl in the Group 1 1,800metre Jebel Hatta, a lead up race to the $6million Dubai Turf.
Appleby’s third winner of the day was supplied by William Buick and Hawkbill, the only favourite to oblige on the day. Hawbill was an impressive winner of the concluding Group 2 Dubai City of Gold over 2,410 metres from stable companion, Frontiersman, ridden by Godolphin’s retained rider, James Doyle.
