23 February 2006
Dubai: Caesar Beware, who left behind the most impressive calling card when winning in impressive fashion on his seasonal debut earlier this month, is taken to land today's $250,000 Al Fahidi Fort (Group 2), the feature race of today's Dubai International Racing Carnival meeting.The four-year-old American-bred colt who is trained in Dubai won a high class handicap when he came late to beat Suggestive by three and a half lengths, with two of his rivals today, King Jock and Kandidate, back in fifth and sixth respectively.
Trained by South African handler Alec Laird at the two time championship winning Millennium Stables, Caesar Beware had plenty in hand on that occasion and will relish the step up in trip today.
The Al Fahidi Fort, which is the second prep race for the $5million Dubai Duty Free (Group 1) on Dubai World Cup night, has attracted a full field of 12 runners, including four horses who have already won at the Carnival Caesar Beware, Linngari, King Jock and Kandidate.
All four line-up in today's race run over a mile on the turf track, but Caesar Beware, who was rated as one of the best juveniles in Europe last season, stands out.
However, Linngari, winner of the Group 3 Al Rashidiya three weeks ago on his Dubai debut, looks the real danger. The seven-year-old son of Indian Ridge, who was formerly trained in England by Sir Michael Stoute for the Aga Khan, produced a strong front-running performance to deny South Africa's Grey's Inn and Latino Magic, winner of the Al Fahidi Fort twelve months ago.
Trainer Herman Brown has the $5 million Dubai Duty Free prize in his sights and is hoping Linngari can deliver today en route to securing the rich purse.
Latino Magic, trained in Ireland by Robbie Osborne, was having his first outing since appearing in a Grade 3 at Belmont Park last October and ran a big race to finish third behind Linngari.
Elliots World, formerly trained by Mark Johnston in the UK but now with Esmail Mohammad, finished third in a hot handicap over the Al Fahidi Fort trip while Kandidate, who was third to Footstepsinthesand in last year's English 2,000 Guineas, will appreciate the return to turf after a disappointing run on the dirt last time out.
Johnny Murtagh rides the Charles O'Brien-trained Lord Admiral, owned by the legendary trainer Vincent O'Brien, while Erwan Charpy's T-Bird, who has been knocking at the door, will bear watching.
Good record
The South African colt ran on well in the final stages to finish a length and a quarter behind Safe Structure in a 1,300 metre event and will appreciate the step up in distance.
The Al Rostamani sponsored race meeting opens with with the Al Rostamani Bani Yas (Group 2) for Purebred Arabians over 1,200 metres on the turf. Alec Laird's sprint star Big Easy and last week's winner Velte look the standouts.
Mick Channon's Compton's Eleven goes for his second Carnival win when he faces 11 rivals in the $120,000 Al Rostamani Group Trophy.
The mount of Ted Durcan, Compton's Eleven faces the Clive Brittain-trained Bahiano who got the better of him by just under three lengths when the pair last met over this course and distance nearly a fortnight ago.
TODAY'S CARNIVAL RACE CARD
6:45pm Al Rostamani Group Bani Yas
Purse $ 40,000 -Purebred Arabians 5y+ Distance (1,200M) Turf
No. Form Horse/TURF rating Weights Trainer Jockeys GNo.
1 9-443 Bengalant (GB) ( 96 ) 58.5 G Duffield R Hills 10
2 1124 Big Easy (US) ( 112 ) 58.5 A Laird T Durcan 2
3 1721 Velte (US) ( 110 ) 58.5 A Laird R Mullen 3
4 3466 Al Kesbe (FR) ( 89 ) 54.5 G Duffield W Supple 7
5 000-0 Al Zaeem (FR) ( 65 ) 54.5 M Al Darmaki W Smith 4
6 6-511 Basilic De Ghazal (FR) ( 76 ) 54.5 Dr J Bittar J Panas 6
7 0536 Bolet De Ghazal (FR) ( 65 ) 54.5 S Seemar R Moore 9
8 90/0-0 Croixnoire (US) ( 70 ) 54.5 S Hawaa A Ajtebi (3kg) 1
9 90-77 Danidor (FR) ( 80 ) 54.5 E Charpy T O'Shea 8
10 0283 Sousoff (FR) ( 72 ) 54.5 Dr J Bittar S O'Gorman 5
11 6-159 Shija (AE) ( 65 ) 54.5 Dr J Bittar 1st Reserve 11
12 0196 Quick Reply (US) ( 62 ) 54.5 S Seemar 2nd Reserve 12
13 8095 Red Zone (US) ( 60 ) 54.5 M Al Darmaki 3rd Reserve 13
14 6800 Game Set Match (US) ( 60 ) 54.5 A R Al Raihe 4th Reserve 14
7:15pm Al Rostamani Group Cup
Purse $ 30,000 Thorough breds 3yo + conditions Distance (1,700M) Dirt
1 28-30 Nomoretaxes (BRZ) ( 93 ) 59 M de Kock W Marwing 6
2 754-1 Cover Drive (USA) ( 88 ) 55 A Laird T Durcan 3
3 75-0 Land Before Time (IRE) ( 0 ) 55 E Charpy T O'Shea 7
4 0587- Sand Cat (GB) ( 90 ) 55 D Watson W Supple 2
5 121-8 Villa Sciarra (IRE) ( 90 ) 55 A Peraino M Kinane 5
6 06 Bakhoor (IRE) ( 0 ) 53 A R Al Raihe R Ffrench 4
7 71-20 Swan Maiden (USA) ( 93 ) 53 A Laird R Mullen 1
7:50pm Al Rostamani Group Trophy
Purse $ 120,000 - Thoroughbreds 3yo 95-110 Distance (1,300M) Turf
1 24-07 Starpix (FR) ( 110 ) 60 H Brown K Shea 3
2 121-2 Suggestive (GB) ( 108 ) 59 W Haggas N Mackay 6
3 48-21 Kodiac (GB) ( 105 ) 57.5 E Charpy T O'Shea 12
4 26-12 Compton's Eleven (GB) ( 102 ) 56.5 M Channon J Egan 2
5 74-90 Al Maali (IRE) ( 100 ) 55.5 D Watson R Hills 7
6 03-66 Medal Of Honor (ARG) ( 100 ) 55.5 I Jory M Kinane 4
7 8-508 Tahreeb (FR) ( 100 ) 55.5 Selvaratnam J Murtagh 9
8 02/64- Cartography (IRE) ( 99 ) 55 E Charpy R Mullen 1
9 7-513 Bahiano (IRE) ( 98 ) 54.5 C Brittain R Moore 5
10 11-33 Rock Opera (SAF) ( 105 ) 54.5 A Laird T Durcan 8
11 49-44 Talbot Avenue (GB) ( 97 ) 54 M Mullineaux P Smullen 10
12 111-0 Commandocourageous ( 95 ) 53 D Maroun J Bekker 11
13 9-098 Cat Belling (IRE) ( 95 ) 53 R Bouresly 1st Reserve 13
14 1009 Baaridd (GB) ( 95 ) 53 D J Selvaratnam 2nd Reserve 14
8:25pm Al Rostamani Group Stakes
Purse $ 110,000 Thoroughbreds 3yo 90-105 Distance (2,400M) Dirt
1 119-5 Afghan (USA) ( 101 ) 60 A Laird T Durcan 10
2 0111 Muhareb (USA) ( 99 ) 59 D Watson W Supple 7
3 028-7 Whazzat (GB) ( 101 ) 59 D J Selvaratnam J Murtagh 8
4 6646 Attentive (IRE) ( 95 ) 57 S Seemar R Moore 1
5 6-732 Change The Grange ( 95 ) 57 M C Tam E Legrix 3
6 2236 Chinkara (GB) ( 93 ) 56 D Watson R Mullen 5
7 2040 Forty Hablador (ARG) ( 90 ) 55 S Seemar P Smullen 6
8 1-844 Mistongo (URU) ( 90 ) 55 S Seemar K McEvoy 4
9 2950- Todman Avenue (USA) ( 90 ) 54 A R Al Raihe R Ffrench 2
10 513-5 Jackson (BRZ) ( 98 ) 53 A Cintra Pereira M Kinane 9
8:55pm Al Rostamani Group Plate
Purse $ 110, 000 Thoroughbreds 3yo 90-105 Distance (1,600M) Dirt
1 2113- Parole Board (USA) ( 105 ) 60 A Laird T Durcan 16
2 74-98 Burnt Ember (USA) ( 100 ) 58 S Seemar R Moore 8
3 625- Clays Awesome (USA) ( 100 ) 58 A Laird G Hind 5
4 43-12 Happy Pearl (AUS) ( 100 ) 58 G Moore M Kinane 14
5 4736 Marbush (IRE) ( 99 ) 57.5 D J Selvaratnam J Murtagh 13
6 11-06 Setembro Chove (BRZ) ( 97 ) 56.5 P Filho E Cruz 7
7 5733 Curule (USA) ( 95 ) 55.5 D Watson W Supple 11
8 37-24 Sea Hunter (GB) ( 95 ) 55.5 I Mohammed L Dettori 12
9 301-0 Magnum Force (NZ) ( 93 ) 54.5 L Laxon P Smullen 6
10 9953 Surbiton (USA) ( 93 ) 54.5 A R Al Raihe R Ffrench 10
11 3968 Bold Demand (GB) ( 90 ) 53.5 R Bouresly S Pasquier 1
12 21- British Isles (GB) ( 90 ) 53.5 A Laird R Mullen 2
13 332-2 Gold History (USA) ( 90 ) 53.5 A Laird T O'Shea 4
14 19-43 Safsoof (USA) ( 90 ) 53.5 I Mohammed K McEvoy 3
15 98-04 Wazir (USA) ( 90 ) 53.5 J Gosden R Hills 9
16 133-5 Azul Da Guanabara (BRZ) 53 L Singnoretti A Domingos 15
9:25pm Al Rostamani Group Al Fahdi Fort Gr. 2
Purse $ 250,00 Thoroughbreds 3yo + Distance (1,600M) Turf
1 243-1 Caesar Beware (IRE) ( 112 ) 59 A Laird T Durcan 2
2 421-3 Elliots World (IRE) ( 104 ) 59 I Mohammed K McEvoy 3
3 176-3 Holiday Camp (USA) ( 98 ) 59 M Al Muhairi W Smith 1
4 5-167 Kandidate (GB) ( 110 ) 59 C Brittain R Moore 12
5 2715 King Jock (USA) ( 107 ) 59 E Charpy P Smullen 7
6 369-3 Latino Magic (IRE) ( 109 ) 59 R Osborne L Dettori 4
7 411-1 Linngari (IRE) ( 113 ) 59 H Brown K Shea 9
8 4245- Lord Admiral (USA) ( 107 ) 59 C O'Brien J Murtagh 11
9 55-97 Near Dock (GER) ( 107 ) 59 V Smith A Suborics 10
10 0-350 Summoner (GB) ( 98 ) 59 A R Al Raihe R Ffrench 6
11 0142 T-Bird (SAF) ( 108 ) 59 E Charpy T O'Shea 5
12 8-773 Shersha (IRE) ( 95 ) 57 K O'Donnell M Kinane 8
13 3-407 Documento Fiscal ( 90 ) 55 C Morgado 1st Reserve 13
14 4576 Red Crescent (SAF) ( 90 ) 59 S Seemar 2nd Reserve 14
15 00-76 In The Fan (USA) ( 90 ) 59 A R Al Raihe 3rd Reserve 15
16 2411- Bosra's Valentine (USA) ( 85 ) 59 R Bouresly 4th Reserve 16)
9:55pm Al Rostamani Group
Purse $ 120,000 Thoroughbreds 3yo + rated 95-110 Distance (1,777M) Turf
1 1111- Eyjur (USA) ( 110 ) 60 P Filho M Kinane 12
2 20-35 Shakis (IRE) ( 110 ) 60 D Watson R Hills 6
3 0-164 Trademark (SAF) ( 108 ) 59 A Laird T Durcan 1
4 62-40 Boule D'Or (IRE) ( 107 ) 58.5 J Akehurst M Hills 9
5 215-6 Evil Knievel (BRZ) ( 105 ) 57.5 M de Kock W Marwing 10
6 22-14 Iqte Saab (USA) ( 105 ) 57.5 D Watson W Supple 2
7 3149- Organizer (NOR) ( 105 ) 57.5 E Charpy T O'Shea 11
8 6904 Billy Allen (IRE) ( 102 ) 56.5 F Chappet S Pasquier 7
9 3801 Mandobi (IRE) ( 102 ) 56.5 D J Selvaratnam J Murtagh 5
10 6070 Baldaquin (GB) ( 100 ) 55.5 R Bouresly P Dillon 3
11 6546 Lundy's Lane (IRE) ( 100 ) 55.5 S Seemar R Moore 4
12 1574- Le Prince Charmant (FR) ( 96 ) 53.5 E Charpy R Mullen 8
13 00-57 Persian Majesty (IRE) ( 96 ) 53.5 H Brown 1st Reserve 13
14 30-23 Spirit Of France (IRE) ( 95 ) 53 C Wroe 2nd Reserve 14
15 1-063 The Carbon Unit (USA) ( 95 ) 53 E Charpy 3rd Reserve 15
Selections
1st race. Big Easy
2nd race. Nomoretaxes
3rd race. Kodiac
4th race. Muhareb
5th race. Happy Pearl
6th race. Caesar Beware
7th race. Eyjur
Day's best: Kodiac
By Leslie Wilson Jr
Gulf News 2006. All rights reserved.
