De Kock claims trio of Dubai World Cup Carnival winners at Meydan

De Kock saddled three winners, including his eighth Group 2 Al Rashidiya success courtesy of Forries Waltz, two second places and one third place finish from the evening’s seven race card.

Belgian jockey, Christophe Soumillon claimed his fifth victory in the Al Rashidiya when he guided Forries Waltz to victory over stable companion, Ertijaal ridden by Paul Hanagan.

Soumillon always looked happy on the winner, whereas Ertijaal was quite keen under Hanagan who took him to the front 300 metres out from the line. However they were soon challenged by Forries Waltz who led 200 metres from home, and although Hanagan’s mount tried to muster a renewed challenge, the former took the victory by a length and a quarter.

De Kock’s Mujaarib, his 2014 winner of the race, ran on late to take fourth under Dane O’Neill.

The popular South African trainer then provided the first three horses home in a 1400 metre turf handicap where once again Soumillon denied Hanagan. This time the outcome was decided in the very final strides when Anaerobio caught Banaadeer to take the decision by a short head.

Royal Ridge ran on from the rear to finish third and complete a remarkable 40 minutes for De Kock and his Blue Stables team.

Godolphin’s Jungle Cat was very impressive when winning the 1200m turf Shiba At The Meydan Handicap, registering an easy success under William Buick for trainer Charlie Appleby.

A very useful juvenile in 2014 for trainer, Mark Johnston for whom he was third at Royal Ascot in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes, he was also second in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes, won by last year’s Champion Sprinter, Muhaarar. Having switched to Appleby last season, he ran three times and had been off the track since failing to beat a rival in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, also won by Muhaarar, at Royal Ascot.

However this second career win for Jungle Cat came almost four lengths ahead of Ashaadd in second and Jamesie in third.
The HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum-owned Kifaah, trained by Ali Rashid Al Raihe, claimed the 1200 metre Prime at The Meydan Hotel Handicap with Hanagan again in the saddle.

Hanagan was paying his second visit to the Winner’s Enclosure having ridden the same owner’s Alareef to victory for trainer De Kock in the night’s opening race, the 1400 metre Al Forsan At Bab Al Shams Handicap.

The powerful Doug Watson/ Pat Dobbs combination scored in the Terrace Brunch at Meydan Racecourse 1400 metre dirt handicap with Cool Cowboy, who was winning for the first time in the UAE at the fifth attempt.

The horse was stepping up a distance after four Meydan outings over 1200 metres, and he looked comfortable with the challenge of an extra 200 metres by galloping on strongly for Dobbs to win by a length and three-quarters.

The meeting concluded with a 1600 metre turf handicap with both first and second trained in England.

The Brendan Powell-trained Dark Emerald was a real star of the 2015 Dubai World Cup Carnival and looked the likely winner when he hit the front 200 metres from the line under Richard Mullen. However, Dane O’Neill was making relentless progress on the Marco Botti-trained Fanciful Angel and they led close to home before finishing well to claim a winning UAE debut by a neck.