Brittain
shines in Dubai racing carnival
DUBAI — Clive Brittain saddled
a quick double at the Shadwell Farm-sponsored opening meeting of
the 2006 Dubai International Racing Carnival on Thursday when the
top weight Kandidate landed the $110,000 Shadwell Farm Handicap
over 1,500 metres on the turf.
King Marju, trained by Karl Burke led
the field along but Kandidate, a four-year-old son of Kabool, took
up the running from 400 metres out, under Eddie Ahern, and crossed
the line three and three quarters clear of Tajseed with the Jeff
Pearce-trained Hidden Dragon in third.
After the race Brittain said, “Both
horses were fit and ready to go. Kandidate had good form, he was
only beaten a head in the Craven and then finished third in the
2000 Guineas.”
Half an hour earlier Brittain had saddled
Well Armed, to become the first international winner of the 2006
Dubai International Racing Carnival.
Partnered by Ryan Moore, Well Armed,
the son of dual Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Tiznow, was always
going well and took the lead soon in the straight before running
on well to land the $30,000 Shadwell Farm Trophy over 1,400 metres
by three and a half lengths.
Testimony, Godolphin’s first runner
of the 2006, just got up in a photo under Kerrin McEvoy to take
second beating the Mike de Kock-trained Nomoretaxes, the mount of
Kevin Shea.
Blatant, trained in Dubai by Ismail
Mohammed and ridden by Richard Hills, was the easiest of winners
in the first round of the $200,000 Shaikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al
Maktoum Challenge (Gr.3) over 1,600 metres.
Blatant, a seven-year-old son of Machiavellian
who finished third to Starcraft in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
(Gr.1), broke well and made virtually all to win by over nine lengths.
Cherry Pickings finished second with the 2004 UAE Derby (Gr.2) winner
Lundy’s Liability in third.
Win River Win, trained by Cemal Kurt,
gave Turkey and UK Champion Jockey Jamie Spencer their first win
of the 2006 Carnival with length and three quarter victory in the
$110,000 Shadwell Farm Stakes over 1,800 metres.
Macau raider Change the Grange led the
field into the straight with the Doug Watson-trained Dubai Honor
taking over 300 metres out, Win River Win was soon closing, getting
to the head of the field 100 metres out.
Spencer said, “He did it well
in the end, hopefully he can improve and win again. I have had a
bit of time off, I am just getting fit again and I will be here
for bits and pieces during the Carnival. Win River Win is a very
tough horse and an extra furlong would do him no harm.”
King Jock, the mount of Tadhg O’Shea,
trained by Erwan Charpy took the lead 250 metres out an ran on to
a four length win in the $110,000 Shadwell Farm Cup over 1,500 metres
on the turf. Stan Moore’s Azarole, under John Egan, held on
for second ahead of the Andrew Balding-trained Pentecost, Berlioz,
flying the flag for India, finished fourth. Doug Watson saddled
his second winner of the evening when Iqte Saab, Pat Dobbs up, came
through the field to get up in the shadow of the line to win the
sixth race of the evening, the $175,000 Shadwell Farm Plate over
1,777 metres on the turf.
Watson landed the first race of the
evening, the first round of the Shaikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Challenge (Gr.1), sponsored by Shadwell Farm, for Purebred Arabians
with the Richard Hills-partnered Al Saoudi.
Trainer John Hills kept the flag flying
for Britain in the final race of the evening, with Clinet, Ahern
up, claiming the $110,000 Shadwell Farm Handicap over 1,500 metres
on the turf.
.
|
