A RAIN-SOAKED World Cup Carnival meeting at Meydan yesterday had the $150,000 Group 3 Firebreak Stakes over a mile as its feature.

Showing his liking for the track and distance, over which he was a winner at the beginning of December, Prince Eiji bounced back from a below-par run last time out in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 to lead home a Doug Watson 1-2-3, Sam Hitchcott’s mount comfortably holding the closing Everfast, with Thegreatcollection bringing up the stable’s trifecta.

The seven-year-old son of Dubawi, bred by Meon Valley Stud from the Pivotal mare Izzi Top and sold to Roger Varian for 2,600,000gns as a yearling, is owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. He failed to build on the promise of his debut win at two, though he placed a couple of times at group level, but he is in fine form presently and could win again before the season ends.

Mawj, winner of the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes over six furlongs at two, and third behind Lezoo and Meditate in the Group 1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes on her fifth and final juvenile appearance, made a winning return in the $100,000 Jumeirah Fillies Classic, stepping up to seven furlongs for the first time.

One of three runners in the race for Godolphin, the homebred daughter of Exceed And Excel, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, partnered by Pat Cosgrave and holding classic engagements, just held on by a short head from the fast-finishing Dream Of Love with William Buick in the saddle, and the pair were two lengths ahead of Alseyoob with the rest of the field trailing in their wake. Mawj is a half-sister to last year’s French 2000 Guineas winner Modern Games.

Charlie Appleby won the nine-furlong Listed Jumeirah Classic on turf with Naval Power, and the three-year-old Godolphin homebred son of Teofilo will have done his classic aspirations no harm with a snug defeat of his stable companion One Nation. Naval Power won his first four starts last year, including a pair of listed races over seven furlongs and a mile, and met his only defeat when below form in the Dewhurst Stakes, having reportedly bled.

Sporting a hood for the first time, this could well be his only run at Meydan and Appleby will surely be planning to tackle some classic trials in England.

Irish win

Irish eyes were smiling following the running of the $100,000 Listed Dubai Sprint over six furlongs on turf, when the Gordon Elliott-trained Coachello, running for the third time this month, upset the odd-on favourite, Godolphin’s Man Of Promise, trained by Charlie Appleby. The five-year-old French-bred son of Dunkerque, owned by Aylmer Stud, was ridden by Pat Dobbs, and this was his sixth career win.

A versatile sort who has won on the all-weather, Coachello raced once for John McConnell before moving to Elliott, and in France he won a listed race at Longchamp at three over seven furlongs. He was considered somewhat unlucky to meet traffic problems on his most recent start.

Denmark got on the winner’s sheet at the Carnival when Good Fortune sprung a surprise in the $100,000 Zabeel Turf over 10 furlongs on turf. Winner of half of his 16 starts in Scandinavia, the Soren Jensen-trained five-year-old gelding just held on under Theo Bachelot to deny White Wolf and Danny Tudhope. A son of Appel Au Maitre, the Stutteri Outback-bred races for Havemanns and Staid Shaker.

Dynamic team

The dynamic team of Tadhg O’Shea and Bhupat Seemar teamed up to win the $75,000 Longines Legend Diver Collection Handicap, over nine and a half furlongs on dirt, and the four-year-old winner Franz Strauss carries the silks of owner Greg Bryce. This was a first win for the son of Golden Horn, formerly raced by Godolphin and placed a few times in the care of John and Thady Gosden. The colt was sold at the Racing In Dubai September Sale last year for AED280,000 (€70,000).

Racing opened with the seven-runner, $60,000 Festival City Stakes, a conditions race over nine and a half furlongs on dirt. Placed on both his previous outings in December, and runner-up to Shirl’s Bee on the second of those runs, the Musabbeh Al Mheiri-trained Lahresh opened his account with an easy win from Go Soldier Go.

Antonio Fresu was in the saddle on this three-year-old son of Iffraaj, bred by Rabbah Bloodstock. Sold as a yearling to Johnny Hassett for 50,000gns, Lahresh was among the lots sold at last year’s Goffs World Cup Dubai Breeze Up Sale, falling to owner Nasir Askar’s winning bid of €99,000. He was the sole offering in the sale from The Bloodstock Connection.

Tadhg O’Shea and Bhupat Seemar brought up a double on the day when Western Symphony won the concluding $75,000 Longines Record Collection Handicap over seven furlongs on dirt. The Irish-bred winner is a son of Shamardal.