Meydan Mayhem for Kobeissi on Carnival Closing Night

Mdmar – Dubai Racing Club

It might have been the final meeting of the Dubai Racing Carnival but 14 March 2025 will live long in the memory of Hilal Kobeissi. The British trainer collected a first overseas winner when Max Mayhem (pictured) stormed home in the featured Longines Spirit Flyback Handicap.

The seven-year-old was making his fourth start of the Carnival, but was much the best here, settling towards the back of the field in the 2410metre contest. Jockey Adrie de Vries was patient, asking his mount for an effort with 400metres left to go and charging home by three and a half lengths from Valdivia.

 “There was plenty of pace,” he said. “I was a bit worried when I lost my cover on the backside, but I was pretty confident once we turned for home.”

The race was also notable for the return of De Vries, after some time out through injury.

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“I clipped heels and had a bad fall a few weeks ago,” he said. “It was a very frustrating couple of weeks, I missed a few nice rides, but I’m lucky to be back so quickly. Everything seems fine.”

It was a huge win for Newmarket-based Kobeissi, who has a relatively small string at the moment, having previously run a pre-training operation.

“That was a De Vries masterclass!” he said. “This is a huge for our small team. We’re a young set-up with big ambitions.”

De Vries celebrated a quick double when Strobe took the very next race, the Longines Master Collection Moon Phase Chronograph Handicap, over 1200metres on dirt.

Simon and Ed Crisford’s six-year-old settled just behind a fast pace set up front by Sir Harmony and Smart System and was well positioned to take the lead in the straight, before needing to dig deep to see off the closing Deep Hope by half a length.

“There was a strong pace and I was always in a nice position,” said De Vries. “I always felt that the two in front would come back to me. He probably hit the front a little bit too soon and then kind of pulled up a little bit – I needed the line.”

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Trainer’s Championship Heats Up

Musabbeh Al Mheiri’s is in pole position at the top of the UAE Trainers’ Championship and he wasted little time in getting on the scoresheet. His Al Arbed justified favouritism in the second race, the 1600metre Longines Mini Dolce Vita Handicap, under a positive ride from Danny Tudhope.

Positioned just behind the leaders in the early part of the race, Tudhope kicked for home off the final turn and opened up a commanding lead. However, his mount was visibly tiring towards the end, crossing the line a length ahead of stablemate Legend Of Cannes, with Moonshiner third.

“The trip was probably the main question mark, but he’s been super consistent, and deserved to get his head in front this season,” said Tudhope. “He travelled well, but I really did need the line. If I ride him again, I’ll try to hold on to him a little bit longer.”

Al Mheiri claimed a double when Al Shibli produced a brave effort to hold off all comers in the Longines Master Collection Handicap, race seven, over 1000metres on turf.

The six-year-old put up a bold effort from the front and always looked like holding Thunder Of Niagara and Markakol, which he did by half a length and a length and a quarter.

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“He has won up the hill at Jebel Ali and last time he stayed with Tuz [in the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal] the 400metres, so the ability is there,” said winning rider Silvestre de Sousa. “Coming back to turf was beneficial to him and Musabbeh has his horses in great shape.”

De Sousa is now just two behind Tadhg O’Shea at the top of the UAE Jockeys’ Championship after a double, initiated when Molaqab took the 1400metre turf Longines Conquest Handicap – his first local win.

Trained by Michael Costa, who is also very much in the hunt for the Trainers’ Championship, he beat Eye On The Prize by three-quarters of a length, staying on well through the line.

“The gate [11] helped him, being on the outside,” said De Sousa. “It allowed him to jump well and he got across in his own time and then travelled well.”

Not to be outdone, Ernst Oertel, fourth in the Championship, struck with a winner of his own when Classic City made it two in a row and three for the season in the 2000metre Longines Legend Diver Handicap.

The owner/trainer has worked wonders with the Constitution gelding and this was another determined win. He broke well under Alexandre Da Silva, traveling strongly and holding off Swedish raider Havandi by a length.

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“I’ve been very lucky to find [Da Silva],” said Oertel of his jockey. “He came to my yard, looking for a job and he’s repaid us.”

Of Classic City, he added: “I thought he was the best horse in the race but I was worried about the draw [14]. I liked that when he was challenged, he found more. I think we’ll stay on the dirt now. It’s not easy to find horses who love the dirt and he seems to.”

Saffron Blasts into Sprint Picture

The most impressive winner of the night was Dark Saffron, who started some Dubai Golden Shaheen chatter when bolting up in the Longines Spirit Zulu Conditions Stakes, for non-winners of two, over 1200metres on dirt.

Ridden by Connor Beasley for Ahmad Bin Harmash, the three-year-old registered his second win with consummate ease, breaking well and hardly seeing another rival.

The margins were seven and a quarter lengths back to debutante Elusive Trevor, then ten and a quarter back to the third Awab.

“He gave me a very good feel and he’s done nothing wrong this season,” said Beasley. “He won here and then we switched to the turf where he’s been beaten by some good sprinters. It was a good option to switch back to the dirt and that was more like a piece of work to him. There were some pretty decent horses in behind, too.

“He’s got all summer to fill into his frame, so hopefully he’ll be a proper sprinter next season.”

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“We have Sir Harmony and Dark Saffron, so that’s why we moved Dark Saffron to the turf,” added Bin Harmash. “If an invitation [for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen] arrives we will probably go for it.”

Bin Harmash and Beasley and owner Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi doubled up in the closing Longines Conquest Chronograph Handicap when Million Doro broke his maiden.

It was a tenth run for the four-year-old, and he did well to get across from stall 15, securing the rail and the win by three and three-quarter lengths from Norato.

“It was a very good performance and it’s a long time coming,” said Beasley. “He’s been a bit frustrating; he shows plenty in the morning and doesn’t really deliver in the afternoon. He was nice and relaxed going to post and then broke well and traveled well. I liked the way he kept to his task as usually he doesn’t finish all that well.”

There was a pulsating all grey finish to the opening Longines La Grand Classique Handicap, over 1400metres, when Purebred Arabian AB Sacar outbattled AA RX Burn in the shadow of the post.

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AB Sacar hugged the rail under Ray Dawson and went for home in the straight, only for AA RX Burn and Silvestre de Sousa to loom up as likely winners on their outside. AB Sacar wouldn’t be denied, however, and once headed fought back for a nose victory.

“I actually didn’t know who got up, it was very close,” said Dawson, after his 21st winner of the season. “This lad came today in much better form than last time, when it was a bit of a head scratching run.

“He got a bit lonely in front and I think Silvestre’s horse went in front and then maybe didn’t go through with his run, so he gave my lad a big chance to get back and he fought hard.”

Meydan is next in action on Saturday. 5 April when the $30.5million Dubai World Cup fixture will see some of the very best horses, jockeys and trainers in the world compete across the nine-race card.

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