Archivist seals superb Dubai Carnival for Wathnan Racing

DUBAI – Archivist capped a very successful Dubai Racing Carnival for owners Wathnan Racing, winning the 300,000 dirham (S$104,000) Phi Advertising Handicap (1,600m) on turf – the feature race at Meydan on March 13.

Trained by Hamad Al Jehani, the four-year-old galloper had a month’s break after finishing third in the Lord Glitters Handicap (1,800m) on Feb 7.

The son of Dubawi was spring-heeled, wearing a hood for the first time.

Positioned just off the leaders by veteran Irish jockey Patrick Dobbs, Archivist ($21) extended away in the straight for a 2¼-length win over the Charlie Appleby-trained Indian Springs (Charlie Bennett).

Cavallo Bay (Sam Hitchcott), also trained by Appleby, finished another 2½ lengths away in third.

Dobbs, who was riding Archivist for the first time, said the addition of the headgear did the trick.

“I think the hood was a big difference tonight. He never sweated before the race and got into a really good rhythm going down,” he said.

“He’s very straightforward with the hood and has a nice turn of foot.

“Ross (Atkinson) who rides him out said he’ll get to the line strong and he did that. He picked up well.”

Tadhg O’Shea – 12-time UAE champion jockey – celebrated a double on the eight-race meeting, which may just have settled the season’s champion trainer’s honours for his boss Bhupat Seemar.

The second leg of his double came on Diamond Dealer ($16), who put up a no-nonsense performance in the closing Binghatti Handicap (1,600m).

Settled just off the leaders, the Lord Nelson four-year-old was asked for his effort off the home turn and powered away, always holding off the closing Nam Phrik (Francisco Leandro Goncalves), who finished three lengths behind.

“I’m very happy for His Highness (owners of Al Athbah Racing),” said O’Shea.

“That’s his (Diamond Dealer’s) fourth win of the season, two at Meydan, two at Jebel Ali, so he’s very versatile.

“He’s a horse on the up and he has a big pedigree, being a half-brother to (Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner) White Abarrio.

“He’s always showed us a lot of talent. At one stage, Bhupat thought he was a UAE Derby horse, but his mind didn’t allow it.

“He’s, numerically, our horse who has won the most races for the season now.”

Earlier, O’Shea combined with Seemar for their first victory of the night after steering Raasil ($26) to his first win in the ARN Maiden race (1,400m) on dirt.

The three-year-old Tonalist colt weaved around in the straight but was produced in good time to finish ahead of Wajjeeh (Ray Dawson) at his seventh outing.

“He’s like his rider; he’s a big baby,” said O’Shea.

“He jumped okay and kind of put the breaks on. He got a little intimidated, but once I got him in the clear in the straight, he ran on well.

“He’s a horse who will go two turns no problem – he won snug enough in the end.

“He’s learning on the job. He’s a very laid-back, lazy character at home, so I’m sure there’s more to come.

“I think he’ll get 10 furlongs (2,000m) no problem and he’ll improve.”

Meanwhile, it has been a brilliant Carnival for father-son training partnership, Simon and Ed Crisford, who concluded with the victory of Will Scarlet ($30) in the Autism In Racing Handicap (2,410m) on turf.

The well-bred five-year-old was at his fourth start at Meydan.

He dictated the race before kicking on from 600m out and winning easily by four lengths from Spanish raider Finely Tuned (Richard Mullen).

Dawson was the winning rider on board the son of Masar, who made every post a winning one.

“Ed was quite confident that if we could get in front, all this horse does is gallop and he was right,” he said.

“He loved it out in front and wasn’t stopping over the line.

“We didn’t have to be in front, so when we got there, I kind of just left my lad alone and he really wanted to race.

“He’s a dude of a horse, a gentleman, and he really deserved that win.”

Lahfaty ($28) has been a reliable mare for trainer Michael Costa this season and she collected her sixth victory in the Zoho Handicap (1,200m) on dirt.

Ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, the Mitole mare made all the running, asserting from 400m out and beating Billy Webster (Dobbs) by half a length.

The five-year-old was dropping in trip after finishing fifth over 1,400m last time on Feb 21.

The Brazilian-born jockey reckoned coming back in trip was more to Lahfaty’s liking.

“Last time we went a step top far, but that was the only option for her,” said de Sousa.

“She loves running here, she loves the deep surface. When things go her way, she’s a different mare.

“She pinched a length and a half, and got a bit lonely in front.

“But when the other horse came on my inside, she found another breath and went forward. She’s tough and consistent.”

Trainer Kareem Ramadan, who trains only seven horses, posted his first win of the season, and his first ever at Meydan.

His first winner, Blue Trail ($57), still holds the course track record over 2,000m from 2023 when trained by Appleby.

This time, the son of Teofilo cut back to 1,800m in the ARN event on turf, picking up well in the straight and beating Tohoku (Saif Al Balushi) by two lengths.

It was a third win in the season for Goncalves, who was delighted for the connections.

“He’s a very good horse, I’m very happy,” he said. “It’s very emotional, thanks to the team.”

Ramadan was ecstatic after the win.

“We did it, my boy did it,” said an emotional Ramadan. “I have just seven horses, only four thoroughbreds, so this is really big for us.”

In the Phi Advertising Handicap run over 1,900m on dirt, Lahresh ($322) just edged past the Marwan Al Baidhaei-trained Moon Blade, giving French jockey Jules Mobian his first winner at Meydan.

It was a third course win for trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri’s six-year-old gelding and Mobian was delighted.

“I’m so happy, so proud of the race and of the horse... I’d just like to thank Mr Musabbeh for giving me the chance and this horse,” said Mobian.

“I’m so, so happy. I have been chasing this victory for three years.

“Bernardo (Pinheiro, on Moon Blade) and I were looking at each other on the line, but the camera was on him, so I thought he had won.”

Bennett celebrated his first Meydan winner of the season when Turquoise ($26) landed the opening Group 3 Arabian Triple Crown Round 2 (1,800m) for Purebred Arabians on turf.

Trained by Abdallah Al Hammadi, the four-year-old mare reversed form with the well-fancied Amer Burn (O’Shea), who beat her in the Listed Arabian Triple Crown Round 1 (1,600m) at Abu Dhabi on Feb 7.

Given a patient ride, she ground out victory by half a length over RB Al Qaaher (Al Balushi), with Amer Burn in third.

“I’m not 100 per cent sure what happened last time, maybe she wasn’t at her best,” said Bennett.

“We usually just let her sit where she’s comfortable, but I wanted to have Tadhg (O’Shea, on Amer Burn) in my sights as I thought, on paper, there was only four that could win.

“She didn’t quite fire last time, but she did it well today, so it’s good news for the future.”

Both local and international connections will now look forward to vying for Group honours at Dubai’s most prestigious meeting, the 30th Dubai World Cup on March 28.
DUBAI RACING CLUB