17 December 2015, Dubai, UAE ~ For owner HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and trainer Erwin Charpy it was a big-race double night at Meydan on Thursday evening 17 December. The meeting opened with the only Purebred Arabian race on the card, the 1600m Group 2 Mazrat Al Ruwayah and it was turned into a procession by Manark under another positive ride from Paul Hanagan.
Trained by Erwan Charpy, the son of Mahabb had won both his previous outings at Meydan highlighted by a Dubai World Cup night victory in the Group 1 Dubai Kahayla Classic.
Penalized for that victory and subsequently disappointing on the Abu Dhabi turf on his return this season, he demonstrated his preference for Meydan, the dirt surface and traveling left-handed here.
“It was a big relief to see him back to form,” said Charpy. “We went to Abu Dhabi last time hoping for a big run but he was shocking. It does make you wonder if you have done something wrong but he is clearly a different horse here on the dirt.
“I actually thought he was perhaps going too quick early on but Paul has given him a great ride. The horse is a real live wire and you cannot disappoint him so everything panned out perfectly.”
He was chased home by Dane O’Neill aboard the Musabah Al Muhairi-trained Sivit Al Maury, giving owner Sheikh Hamdan a 1-2.
Muarrab, with the same connections, triumphed later in the Garhoud Sprint 1200m with jockey Hanagan.
Winner of eight races on Jebel Ali’s uphill track the six-year-old led home a 1-2-3 for his owner, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Rafeej, winner of this race in both 2013 and 2014, chased him home with Kifaah finishing in third.
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