RACING at Meydan on Thursday evening was highlighted by the most important thoroughbred race of the season to date at the UAE’s flagship racecourse, The Entisar. This listed race was won impressively by For The Top under a strong ride from Antonio Fresu.

First run in 2013, the 10-furlong contest was won by subsequent Group 1 winner Special Fighter in 2015, the first of what is now three victories in the race for trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri who also saddled Military Law to claim the prize in 2018, again under Fresu.

A six-year-old entire son of Equal Stripes now owned by RRR Racing, For The Top was originally campaigned in his native Argentina, where he was a Group 1 winner, before joining Bob Baffert in the United States where he failed to win in three outings.

He then joined Salem bin Ghadayer, again failing to add to a pair of South American victories, and this was just his second start for Al Mheiri.

The successful trainer said: “We knew he was in good form. If you look back he has very good form both in Argentina and here at Meydan behind horses like Benbatl. He seemed to lose his way a bit last season and I was delighted to be asked to train him by the owners. We will probably stick to dirt races at the Carnival, though he has decent turf form also.”

The main support race, a mile rated conditions stakes, went to Everfast who looked like he was either tiring or getting lonely in the final half-furlong. Saddled by Doug Watson for Kildare Stud’s Frankie O’Connor, the five-year-old gelded son of Take Charge Indy was twice successful in the US and was returning to action after an absence of 336 days on his first start for trainer and owner.

Maiden success

The seven-furlong juvenile maiden saw debutant Mujeer finishing at a rate of knots to deny Street Mood and record a success that looked unlikely at halfway when he was ninth in a field of 13.

Asked for an effort leaving the home turn by Omani apprentice Saif Al Balushi, the son of Violence found plenty for pressure, winning for Ahmad bin Harmash who trains him for Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi. For the owner, it was a second UAE winner.

The trainer completed a double with the well-deserved success of the consistent Tullpark Ltd-bred Mudallel in the 11-furlong handicap, Hamdan Harmash’s seven-year-old Invincible Spirit gelding responding gamely to the urgings of his jockey, Ray Dawson.

The horse has now won six times, half of them in the UAE. Dawson said: “He deserved that after two good Jebel Ali runs this season and he has really battled for me when I needed him to.”

Making his local debut on just his third career start, Tapitution was never headed in the mile maiden, Tadhg O’Shea finding a willing partner who always looked likely to thwart the challenge of stablemate Lake Causeway.

Trained by Bhupat Seemar, it was a first UAE success for owner Prince Sultan bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz and he also owns Hero D’Oro who finished third for Doug Watson. They were just his fourth and fifth runners locally.

O’Shea’s winner

A four-year-old colt by Constitution, he raced twice in his native USA for Bob Baffert, making his debut in June 2020. UAE champion jockey O’Shea said: “He worked very well here last week and it was a tough choice picking him over Lake Causeway, but luckily I chose right. This horse will stay further and I was always happy out in front on him, managed give him a breather and then kicked for home. It all worked out nicely.”

The curtain came down on proceedings with a six-furlong handicap won by Rich And Famous, Royston Ffrench sporting the silks of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum for Salem bin Ghadayer. This was a fifth career win for the seven-year-old son of Bernardini.

All seven races were on the Meydan dirt track and, as part of the UAE’s 50th National Day celebrations, held on December 2nd, each was named after the individual emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates.