The son of Oasis Dream repeats the feat against the Godolphin horse; Giustino a late scratch
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Special for TDN) – The Ras Al Khor (G3, 1600m, turf), the feature event of the penultimate card of the Dubai Racing Carnival at Meydan, delivered a high-stakes showdown as Marbaan (Oasis Dream) and Mysterious Night (Dark Angel) clashed for the fifth time, renewing their rivalry from previous meetings in the UK and Dubai. Meanwhile, Argentine-bred Giustino (Full Mast) was a late scratch.
After finishing one-two in the Al Fahidi Fort (G2) over 1400 meters in January, Mysterious Night, trained by Charlie Appleby, was looking to turn the tables. However, William Buick found himself trapped along the rail in the final 400 meters. By the time he found daylight, it was too late—Marbaan had already surged clear, scoring by just over two lengths.
“He’s a fantastic horse, and his last win was impressive, but I think this one was even better,” said jockey Ray Dawson. “He traveled beautifully and just needed a bit of room. I knew he would find it, and when he did, he quickened up strongly.”
Trainer Michael Costa seems to have found the key to keeping Marbaan as relaxed as possible, given his sometimes temperamental nature. “Hopefully, he can hold this form heading into Dubai World Cup Night, if that’s the plan, but I don’t know what the owners will decide,” Dawson added.
Royal Favour Earns UAE Derby Consideration
Earlier in the evening, Buick had better luck aboard Royal Favour (Hard Spun), who put himself in the mix for a UAE Derby (G2) invitation with a dominant victory in the Azizi Creek Views Conditions Stakes over 1900 meters.
Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, the chestnut broke well, but Buick opted to settle him just off the pace—a strategy that paid off handsomely as he powered home in the stretch to win by an impressive eight lengths over Poet Orten(Zelzal).
“He needed to bounce back. Last time, we were a bit disappointed, but it was his first time getting a face full of kickback,” Buick explained. “Tonight was completely different. I loved the way he traveled and found his opening.”
The Crisford team completed a double in the sixth race, the Azizi Mina Handicap over 1400 meters on dirt, as Pen Portrait (Night of Thunder) broke through for his first Carnival win under Danny Tudhope, having previously scored in Sharjah.
Silver Sword Delivers for Dylan Cunha
The most popular winner of the night was Silver Sword (Charm Spirit), who handed trainer Dylan Cunha his first Dubai Racing Carnival victory in the Burj Azizi Handicap over 1600 meters on turf.
Sporting the blue-and-white checkered silks of Secretariat, the gray gelding made his fifth start at the Carnival, and this time everything went perfectly. Ridden by Dawson, who notched a riding double, he unleashed a strong late rally to defeat No Retreat (Siyouni), Folk Festival (Blue Point), and Magnum Opus (Invincible Spirit), all recent winners.
“I’m delighted for Dylan, Caroline Kelly (his work rider), and the entire team,” Dawson said. “He had been running well but just needed things to go his way. Last time, he lost a shoe, which affected him, but he’s been very consistent. He doesn’t enjoy being in between horses, so I had to keep him a bit wide, but when I asked, he responded brilliantly.”
Arizkorreta Shines with El Bosnia
Spanish trainer Guillermo Arizkorreta, a multiple champion in his home country, celebrated his second Dubai Racing Carnival win, this time with El Bosnia (Caradak), who captured the Azizi Riviera Handicap over 1200 meters on turf.
Now an eight-year-old, the chestnut took advantage of a fast pace and produced a well-timed run to defeat favorite Matloob (Dark Angel) by less than a length.
“He couldn’t keep up early, but that actually suits his mentality better—he prefers to pass horses, and that’s exactly what he did,” said jockey Vaclav Janacek. “This is a very special victory because he’s a Spain-bred horse proving he can compete internationally.”
Camden Finds His Stride on Dirt
Having finished second in his two previous starts at Meydan, Camden (Footstepsinthesand) switched surfaces, and the result was spectacular. The Bhupat Seemar trainee delivered a standout performance in the Azizi Bay Residences Handicap over 1600 meters on dirt.
Guided by Tadhg O’Shea, the bay stayed close to pacesetter Saleymm, took command in the final 400 meters, and, despite drifting inward, drew clear to score by two and a half lengths over Quality Humor (Distorted Humor).
“He has always trained well, and we couldn’t believe he got beaten twice on turf,” Seemar admitted. “We spoke with the owners and told them he moves brilliantly on dirt, even though he’s bred entirely for turf. Tonight, we were very confident.”
Now, the trainer is eyeing the Godolphin Mile (G2) for Camden, though he’s unsure if his rating will be high enough to secure a spot. As an alternative, he is considering the Jebel Ali Classic over 1400 meters.
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