Four-timer for Watson and double for Pat Dobbs at Meydan

The pair started their successful evening in the opening 1400 metres juvenile fillies’ maiden, the Property Weekly, which was turned into a procession by debutante Rayya who stormed clear under Dobbs.

Content to track the early leader, Follow The Feeling, Dobbs always looked confident and let the filly stride to the front just after halfway.From there, the race was over in a matter of strides as the pair came home almost ten lengths clear from Sa’ada in second and Heart Power in third.

There was only ever one leader in the first 1400 metre handicap, the InsideOut, with Dane O’Neill on Moosir never headed. In doing so, he completed a double for Champion Trainer, Watson, who also saddled the runner-up, Say No More.

The Gulf News, a 1600 metre handicap, was another repeat winner for Watson, this time with Galvanized who followed up his course and distance victory of four weeks ago in good style.

Sam Hitchcott was in the saddle this time when the pair made smooth progress from midfield to lead at the top of the straight. Hitchcott’s mount was soon clear and always holding Direct Message who tried valiantly, but fruitlessly, to throw down a meaningful challenge in the final 300 metres.

The Xpress, a 1200 metre maiden, was won in thrilling fashion by Chess Master who made relentless progress throughout the straight to lead close home under Connor Beasley, riding for his main employer, Ahmad bin Harmash.

Racing well off the early speed, Beasley elected to take his time, racing quite wide, before the pair ran on strongly to snatch what had appeared an unlikely victory, heading General Line, himself in front only briefly, inside the final 50 metres.

There was a gutsy winning performance in a second 1400 metre handicap, the Tabloid, in which Secret Ambition hit the front halfway up the straight before running on gamely to hold off the challenge of Power Crazy.

Mister Parma, like the winner, ran on strongly for third with stable jockey, Richard Mullen aboard him and Pat Cosgrave on the winner.

The gulfnews.com, a 2000m handicap, concluded events and was won easily by Active Spirit handing Pat Dobbs a double for the night and handler Doug Watson a four-timer.

Watson had a one-two three in the race and stands at 17 wins this season, five ahead of Helal Al Alawi, while Dobbs is now just two behind Cosgrave who is top of the jockey’s table.

The next meeting at Meydan is on Thursday 21st December 2017.