THURSDAY’S second meeting of the 2109 Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan was highlighted by a quality renewal of the $350,000 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1, a Group 2 contest over a mile. Well away under Richard Mullen, riding for Satish Seemar and owner Ramzan Kadyrov, North America (Dubawi) was absolutely dominant and victory was never in doubt.

The seven-year-old was winning for the sixth time in just 16 starts and the first time since beating the subsequent Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow last March.

His last two disappointing efforts were caused by poor starts.

“That’s the way he is,” Seemar said. “We had the right draw. If he pops out, just don’t stop him. I know when he’s in form like that, he’s so good. He could have set a track record today, but no one was there to challenge him.”

“Unbelievable,” Mullen added. “It was an incredible performance for his first run. This is step one. There are a few to go, so let us not get carried away.

“There is potential for him to be better. I know he is a seven-year-old, but he has probably had less races than most three- or four-year-olds in Europe.”

Doug Watson, who saddled the runner-up and third-placed horses, paid tribute to the winner. “North America was just fantastic tonight. I thought he might need farther, but the way he did that, he’s going to be a tough horse this year.”

PROCESSION

The UAE 2000 Guineas Trial over the same mile dirt course and distance as the colts’ classic, was turned into a procession by Walking Thunder (Violence) who is now unbeaten after three starts at Meydan on dirt.

Trained by Ahmad bin Harmash for the Phoenix Ladies Syndicate, the three-year-old gave the owners a winner with their first ever runner at the opening Meydan meeting of the season.

Ridden by Connor Beasley, the pair overcame being drawn widest of all to stalk early leader Power Link, before powering clear by nine lengths.

Bin Harmash said: “He’s a very good horse. We are trying to get to the UAE Derby with him. He ran a great race. He’s a horse who runs fast from the gate and it didn’t scare us that much.

“From a wide draw, I just thought I would let him jump and, instead of fighting, let him breathe and find his feet,” Beasley added.

“He did that really well today and he travelled very easily. To me, he feels like a good horse.”

Bin Harmash and Beasley completed a double with the easy victory of New Trails (Medaglia D’Oro) in the nine and a half furlong dirt handicap, in which the improving five-year-old decimated his rivals by 10 and a half lengths. The trainer said he will head to the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2.

A new seven-furlong conditions race on turf this year, the Dubai Trophy was won in fine fashion by Godolphin’s Good Fortune (New Approach), a first 2019 Carnival winner for Charlie Appleby and James Doyle.

The pair drifted slightly but never appeared in any danger. Appleby said: “I feel stepping up in trip after this is only going to be his forte. He’ll obviously most likely go on to the Meydan Classic; the most natural progression for him.”

THRILLER

The Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi World Class Healthcare Cup, a six-furlong turf handicap, was a thriller with six of the 13 runners locked in battle in the finals strides. Godolphin’s Roussel locked horns with Abrantes from Spain, David Marnane’s Alfredo Arcano who finished fourth and a trio from Britain. Ultimately it was the Jamie Osborne-trained, Irish-bred Dream Today (Dream Ahead) who landed a short-head victory for the Melbourne 10 Racing group in the hands of Chris Hayes.

The final race on the card, the mile Cepsa Energy Cup on turf, was contested by the maximum field of 16. It was won impressively by the Mike de Kock trained seven-year-old Baroot (Dubawi), making his first start since March.

Owned by Sheikh Ahmed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, the gelding won under Adrie De Vries.