Meshtri set to defend Dubai Creek Mile crown

DUBAI – 2024 winner Meshtri will attempt to make history and become the first horse to win the 500,000 dirham (S$178,000) Listed Dubai Creek Mile (1,600m) twice at Meydan on Nov 21.

Trained by the leading trainer in the UAE, Michael Costa, the Medaglia d’Oro five-year-old showed his tenacity under Ben Coen when he held off Walk Of Stars in the same race on Nov 22, 2024.

Meshtri scaled great heights after that victory, going on to beat Qareeb – who also finished third in the 2024 Dubai Creek Mile – at his next start in the Group 2 Al Maktoum Mile (1,600m) at Meydan on Dec 21, 2024.

After an unplaced run in the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes (1,600m) on Jan 25, the three-time winner was spelled for 10 months until the start of Dubai’s new racing season.

The 2025-26 Dubai Racing Carnival at Meydan runs from November 2025 to March 2026, kicking off with seven races at their first meeting on Nov 7, and will culminate with the US$30.5 million (S$39.8 million) Dubai World Cup meeting on March 28, 2026.

Costa is confident his charge is primed for his title defence in the highlight of the seven-race meeting.

“Meshtri is back to his best,” said the Australian trainer.

“This is a nice starting point for him to kick off from and hopefully, he will continue to improve.”

Meshtri will be ridden by former English champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa for the first time.

Among his eight other rivals, the seven-year-old Desert Wisdom – a long-time flag bearer for trainer Ahmed Al Shemaili’s team – is one of the more experienced runners in the field. His career-best result came when he finished second to Bathrat Leon in the 2022 Group 2 Godolphin Mile (1,600m).

Jockey Ray Dawson will be on board the Dubawi seven-year-old, who finished last of six runners in the 2024 Dubai Creek Mile.

“Desert Wisdom obviously lost his form a little bit last year but the year before, he was very good around Meydan,” said Dawson.

“He’s had a bit of time off and will have to bounce back to his previous form, but a little bit of a break might have done him good.”

Dawson is positive about the chances of Smart System, who won twice over the course last season for trainer Ali Al Badwawi, in the penultimate Dubai Islands Handicap (1,400m).

The son of The Factor finished third behind Cupid’s Dream in a Handicap (80-100) race (1,600m) on Nov 7, and will be on the quick back-up.

“I really like this horse,” he said. “I thought he had a really good run last time over the mile, which was probably just a bit too far for him.

“He needed the run that day as well, but until about 300 metres out, he was the winner.

“Back in trip, having had a run and with a low weight – albeit in a better race – he could be one of my best chances.”

Globetrotter Heart Of Honor has also returned to Dubai for his upcoming assignment in the Nakheel Stakes (1,600m).

The Jamie Osborne-trained three-year-old had an eventful season. He was beaten a nose at his last race at Meydan in the Group 2 UAE Derby (1,900m) on April 5.

Heart Of Honor then travelled to US to contest in the elite races, finishing fifth behind Journalism in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes (1,900m) on May 17 and sixth to Sovereignty in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes (2,000m).

Now a gelding, he takes a significant drop in grade first-up.

“This looks like a good spot to start him back, but he will tighten up for the run,” said Osborne, whose daughter and jockey Saffie returns from injury to take the ride.

“His main targets come later, so there will be plenty of improvement after this run. But hopefully, he’s fit enough to be the one they all have to beat.”

Heart Of Honor’s seven rivals include the Bhupat Seemar-trained and Listed Al Bastakiya (1,900m) winner Galactic Star, last seen finishing ninth in the UAE Derby.

His stablemate and fellow contender Gray Boss impressed on debut when he won from a wide draw on Nov 7. DUBAI RACING CLUB