3 minute read

With nearly everyone being unable to travel for the last 2 years this was the first time a major meeting has been "business as usual".

This made for a very happy atmosphere among us scribes and snappers as well as horse connections.  Things that could have caused a problem at other times were met with a shrug of the shoulders and a smile, especially at early morning track work with a coffee and a blueberry muffin from the wonderful food truck inside of one.

There were a lot of horses to get to see – often not helped by the ones who went out at 4am or earlier but gradually things came together and via the Barrier Draw and the Welcome Party one started to get the mental side organised.

So then it was the Big Day.  Highlight of the day was the performance of the Japanese runners with 5 winners, two thirds, two fourths and one sixth place from their 22 runners.

The sixth placer was Reiwa Homare in the Derby and that paid US$10,000.

The races the Japanese horses didn't win were the Golden Shaheen which went to the locals Switzerland, the other sprint the Al Quoz which was won by the Irish Arc winner A Case of You.  Trainer Ado McGuiness said that while he had a very good year at home last year the prize money for this race was more than he had earned in the whole year (US !.5 million).

And the big one went to Country Grammer, trained by Bob Baffert who was absent and ridden by Frankie Dettori.  Frankie remarked after that he was coming down the straight his thoughts were "I'm 51 years old and I'm going to win it again!".  He rode a great race and managed to steer his horse clear of any trouble and into the clear as the opposition started to drop back.  Favourite Life Is Good is a beautiful horse and a very good horse indeed but as feared this distance was just too far, especially when he had to lead.

Great thrill for us Aussies (yes, there were Aussies there) when Damian Lane took the lead in the Derby and scored for Japan on Crown Pride.  The horse has got an automatic entry into the Kentucky Derby, and the rumour going around last night was that they wanted Damian to keep the ride.

There was great excitement too in the Dubai Turf with Jane Chapple-Hyam saddling Saffron Beach who delighted her trainer by finishing fourth just behind the top 3 who went over the line virtually together, with a dead heat being called in the end and third going to Vin de Garde by a bee's proverbial.  Saffron Beach was ridden by the talented Hollie Doyle with her husband of 1 week Tom Marquand riding My Oberon into 6th.

The Sheema as usual was a top class race with victory going to the gorgeous son od Deep Impact Shahryar, this time with Cristian Demuro on board with brother Mirco not having much luck on Stella Veloce.  Yibir was a worthy second and Authority, who had led for a while but just couldn't stay there finished in third.

Australian runner Rodrigo Diaz in the Dubai Gold Cup did not seem to settle and Jamie Spencer felt that the draw and the lack of pace in the race put him at a disadvantage.

Only 364 more sleeps until Dubai World Cup 2023.  Can't wait!