The Friday night lights shone brightly once again at Meydan for the venue’s fourth meeting of the season, with a 9 race programme.
The black type of the evening, the Group 2 Madjani Stakes for Purebred Arabians, produced a thrilling finish. The win went to the 5yo Vizir, who put in a determined performance for trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri and jockey Tadhg O’Shea. Starting his challenge as they approached the home turn, Vizir engaged in a fantastic fight up the Meydan straight, snatching victory from Nassif in the final strides.
The excitement continued and included another tight finish, as Yotarid and Righthere Rightnow went head to head in the Hcp 75–95 on the turf. In a battle to the line, Yotarid dug deepest to fend off his rival.
And the 2yo’s saw Power for Power overrule the fancied Do Or Do Not, with the pair pulling clear of the rest of the field.
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Jebel Ali Racecourse hosted a competitive afternoon of racing on Saturday, with the programme featuring three Daaeemm Incentive races, the new bonus scheme introduced by the club for the current season.
The day’s first bonus series race was claimed by the 3yo Munyah, who impressed when scoring at just his second career start. The victory not only made him eligible for a lucrative bonus later in the season, but also set the tone for a successful afternoon for Shadwell, who went on to complete a treble.
The success for the operation continued as Mutaany produced another winning performance to record his second consecutive victory and Amjaad landed the final race on the programme, which also formed part of the Daaeemm Incentive series.
Local favourite Attwaal, racing for Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, captured the other Daaeemm Incentive race, providing a popular success with the Jebel Ali crowd.
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Sunday evening racing in Abu Dhabi provided a change from the normal Saturday night slot, delivering a night that saw returning winners and emerging young talent
One of the early highlights came with Sheikh Khalifa bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan in attendance to witness his horse’s success firsthand. The Sheikh’s 7yo gelding RB Yas Sir, returned to winning form, getting his head back in front after nearly two years between wins.
The 3yo races showcased some exciting emerging talent. In the fillies’ division, Ibrahim Aseel’s, Es Khairiyah produced a dominant display, putting the race to bed in emphatic fashion, marking her out as one to follow. The colt’s and gelding’s contest was equally impressive, with the striking chestnut colt Shaddad Aw for Yas Racing and Eric Lemartinel. Handsome but with a mind of his own, jockey Jules Mobian allowed the son of Mushrae to find his own rhythm and suggested there is plenty more to come once he fully matures.
Looking like the standout of the night, Almotawassim, proved to be exactly that, winning the Hcp 0-90. And under a brilliantly judged ride from Antonio Fresu, Daarkom unleashed a decisive turn of foot in a busy finish, flying through the middle to secure the last race of the night. The success was made all the more impressive given the horse had not raced since July 2024, underlining a significant training achievement by the team behind him.