Brotherly Love and Colour Up Light Up Opening Night
Mdmar – Dubai
The internationals got off the mark on the opening night of the Dubai Racing Carnival when Brotherly Love (pictured) struck in the featured Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum Cup (Sponsored by Emirates Airline) for British trainer Jamie Osborne.
Fourth in the G2 UAE Derby when last seen, the three-year-old was gelded over the summer and was dropping into handicap company for the first time. Ridden by Danny Tudhope, he came home much the best, beating Sirocco Winds by five and a quarter lengths.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said Tudhope, riding Brotherly Love for the first time. “The team thought he would improve, but you never know first time out. He was slowly away and a bit hampered, but he always took me where I wanted and was too good for them in the end. I felt he was doing it easy enough and his stamina kicked in, as he stays further.
“A horse like that makes my job easier.”
Colour Up Rolls Back the Years
There won’t be many more popular winners all season than Colour Up, the veteran eight-year-old collecting his first Meydan win since 2023 in the opening Emirates Airline Conditions Stakes.
Ridden by Pat Dobbs, the Doug Watson-trained gelding had to battle hard to see off the determined Ma Yetal but prevailed by half a length.
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“He’s more of a family member now,” said owner Sayed Hashish. “We’ve had him since he was two and now he’s eight. I knew that he travelled well and that Pat was taking his time and, once he changed leads, he went.
“I’m over the moon. He’s run in so many good races but he hasn’t won for a while. We started him earlier than usual, so he might still have some fitness to gain, but all credit goes to Doug and the team.”
It was a landmark evening for French jockey Jules Mobian, who picked up his first Meydan win when Desert Horizon took the Emirates Holidays Handicap.
Trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, the six-year-old was a game three-quarter-length winner over Injazati, recording his third career success.
“I’m very happy, it’s my first win here,” said Mobian. “Honestly, I was worried at the beginning because I didn’t think he had enough speed to get a good position. I know this horse, he has one pace and he just keeps going, and he was strong at the end. In the morning he was working well, so we were confident about his fitness.
“I’m living the dream. I’m super happy!”
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Trainer Ahmad bin Harmash has always had a high opinion of Union Security and the colt won on opening night for the second season in a row, taking the three-year-olds’ Emirates Skywards Conditions Stakes in the hands of Connor Beasley.
It was a facile win for the son of Maximum Security, who travelled up with the pace in the 1400-metre contest and powered away for a five-length victory over Magic Art.
“I had the widest gate of the six, but he jumped well,” said Beasley. “I’d have been happy to take a lead, but he jumped into the bridle and Mr O’Shea [Tadhg, riding Magic Art] on my inside was keeping me honest. In the straight he switched leads and went again.
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“He’s a horse who’s grown up over the summer and his last two pieces of work were really good. I think we’ll see a different horse this season.”
Two-year-old Ops made his first start a winning one, showing plenty of tenacity to hold off favourite Jeyoush in the 1200metre Emirates Courier Express Maiden. Ridden by Tadhg O’Shea for trainer Bhupat Seemar, he made all the running for a neck success.
“Bhupat works back from World Cup night, so all our horses will step forward,” said O’Shea. “Raw ability and class got him over the line today.
“He’s got a lot of speed and he’s not dissimilar, based on his morning work, to [G3 UAE 2000 Guineas winner] Six Speed, who went from strength-to-strength last season.”
Seemar and O’Shea also took the evening’s other maiden, the Emirates SkyCargo over 1400metres, with Na Eem.
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Second to Union Security on debut a year ago, Na Eem’s form had tailed off since, but he came with a dour late run to deny longtime leader Cruzamento by two lengths.
“He’ll step forward for that,” said O’Shea. “They went hard and I had to take my medicine early. He got his second wind and ran home well, and he’s a horse I think will stretch out further. He’s a gelding now, so he’s probably concentrating more than he did before.”
Tudhope also completed a double when Nam Phrik dug deep under top weight of 64.5kg to land the closing Arabian Adventures Handicap.
It was a first UAE win for Antonio Cintra and Julio Olascoaga’s charge, who overcame Alsayel in the straight and then held off the late challenge of Quality Humor.
The Dubai Racing Carnival resumes on Friday, 20 November, when the Listed Dubai Creek Mile is the feature.
“Mdmar” website for horse racing and equestrian News
The “Mdmar” website which was Founded by Khaled Makhlouf in 2007 for horse and equestrian races is keen to cover and follow all competitions related to horses, from show jumping, Horseracing, speed and endurance races, and purebred Arabian horse beauty shows, which belong to the Arab Gulf countries at home and abroad in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Kingdom of Bahrain.
