Dubai Carnival: Classic winner Mawj back in action on Friday

As the first Dubai Racing Carnival graduate to win the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, Godolphin filly Mawj deserves top billing on ‘Fashion Friday.’Horses from six countries clash on the nine-race card which comprises entirely of stakes races including three Group One contests, with Mawj facing eight rivals in the Group One Jebel Hatta [Presented by Longines]. In fine form since winning twice at last year’s Carnival, the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained filly added the Group One Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Keeneland to her top-level exploits and missed out on winning the Group One Breeders’ Cup Mile by a nose.“Mawj arrived in Dubai after the Breeders’ Cup and had a bit of an easy time,” said Bin Suroor, who last won this race in 2019 with Dream Castle. “She’s doing well and I’m happy with her. After this the plan is the Dubai Turf and then we will take her back to Europe.”Doug Watson’s San Donato looked very good in the Group Two Zabeel Mile last time and he steps up in trip here, as does the third and re-opposing El Patriota. The six-year-old is trained by Julio Olascoaga who said: “He earned the chance to run this race after his good result last time out. The opposition cannot be stronger but we’re confident he will continue to run big.”An international line-up includes the Richard Fahey-trained Spirit Dancer, winner of the Group Two Bahrain Trophy in November, while the exciting Measured Time - a facile winner over course and distance last time out - looks the pick of the Charlie Appleby trio which includes Highland Avenue and Ottoman Fleet.

Appleby has won the Group Two Al Fahidi Fort a record seven times and the Godolphin handler runs Mysterious Night and Majestic Pride in the 1400m turf race. 

Up against them are two Group One winners, including King Gold, winner of the Prix Maurice du Gheest for trainer Nicholas Caullery.

“He’s settled in really well to Dubai again,” said assistant Marine Henry. “He’s worked a few times on the racetrack and worked well. The jockey is a French jockey [Stephane Pasquier] and we know him really well.

“This isn’t a main objective for him – we’re not expecting him to win – but we’re hoping to run well.”

King Gold’s fellow top level scorer is Danyah, winner of the Al Quoz Sprint in March, who was beaten last time in the Business Bay Challenge by Vafortino, who represents British-based Belgian trainer Kevin Phillipart De Foy.

“Vafortino is a course and distance winner back in December and has been in very good form since his win,” he said. “This is the strongest race of his career and he’ll need to run a career best to be competitive but I have been happy with his preparation.”

The Group Two Blue Point Sprint [Presented by Longines], over 1000 metres on turf, looks a fascinating race and features seven Europeans including Clarendon House, the winner of his last three starts and trained by UK ‘sprint king’ Robert Cowell.

“It looks like it’s a competitive race,” said the British handler, who struck at the Carnival in 2012 with Monsieur Joe. “There’s a bit of speed in there and some horses with snazzy ratings like him.

“It he can transfer what he did on the All Weather to grass, then I think it will suit him very well. I think the fast ground and plenty of pace will be ideal, it’s whether he’s good enough to bridge this gap between handicaps and Stakes races.”

Among his rivals is Equality, who is trained by William Knight and who carries the silks of syndicate Kennet Valley. 

"It looks perfect for Equality," said Sam Hoskins, Syndicate Manager. "Although as we saw last year, anything can happen in a race like this! 

"On ratings, he should be right up there, but it is his first run after a break and he's probably fit enough to do himself justice but whether he'll be quite 100 per cent is another matter. If he can switch off and race sensibly early on he should run a good race."

The 13-strong field also includes Appleby's Star Of Mystery, an impressive winner over 1200 metres two weeks ago. Czech raider Ponntos has a course and distance win on his resume, along with three-time Meydan winner Equilateral. 

The day’s official feature is the Group Maktoum Challenge, boasting a prize fund of well over £750,000 and an important prep race for the Dubai World Cup on March 30th. 

Trainer Chad Summers has a perfect record at Meydan thanks to two Dubai Golden Shaheen wins with Mind Your Biscuits and he saddles Grade Two Lukas Classic winner Clapton, the mount of Antonio Fresu and last seen in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“We think that maybe he didn’t like being on the inside,” said Summers of the eleventh place showing at Santa Anita. “When he’s inside horses he feels like he’s running in quicksand. He’s such a big horse that we’d like him to really get into his rhythm and if we lose a little bit of ground, that’s OK.

“We hope they’ll go an honest enough pace. First Constitution should make the pace and hopefully that will set it up for us to come with a big run. We’re adding blinkers for this race, too.”

The sole Group One winner in the race is Atletico El Culano, who warmed up for this with a narrow victory over the re-opposing Military Law in the Listed Entisar Stakes. He breaks from post 12, but trainer Olascoaga is hopeful of another big run.

“He’s doing well after his win in the Entisar,” he said. “Jockey and regular rider Jose Da Silva is happy the way he’s going in these last weeks. It will be all about the pace and timing for his run in the end.”

One of the most exciting runners is Watson’s Kabirkhan, who returns two weeks after his impressive handicap success on local debut, while Mimi Kakushi is the only filly in the race, for trainer Salem Bin Ghadayer.