Special Fighter sealed a memorable Super Saturday for Musabah Al Muhairi when he rounded off a treble-winning performance for the trainer with victory in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3, the official Dubai World Cup prep.
Staged over the same 2000m dirt course and distance as the $10million Dubai World Cup, the Al Maktoum Challenge has been won in the past by three subsequent Dubai World Cup winners. Dubai Millennium (2000), Street Cry (2002) and Electrocutionist (2006) all completed the double for Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor.
Well away and soon out in front under Fernando Jara, Special Fighter was able to get into his rhythm and, never under pressure for the lead, dictated proceedings.
The pair soon shot clear of Hong Kong challenger, Gun Pit and the Doug Watson-trained Faulkner and, with US contender Keen Ice labouring in the mid division, it was soon apparent that Special Fighter had the race sewn up in a new course record time of 2:03.01.
“He was absolutely spot on today,” said Jara, who claimed the Dubai World Cup winner in 2007 Invasor. “I really did not expect to get such an easy lead and that was a real bonus.
“We have said all season we are not sure just how good he might be and tonight he was very good indeed.
He just relaxed out in front and was always going well within himself. He then picked up well when I asked him. It was a great performance.
“Obviously he has been beaten by Frosted and California Chrome is very good so the Dubai World Cup will be a much harder race but we will just enjoy this occasion and look forward to that one.”
The 1200m dirt track record also fell in the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal with the Al Muhairi-trained Muarrab lowering the previous mark set by Secret Circle to 1:10.20 when winning the Group 1 Golden Shaheen on Dubai World Cup night last year.
Sporting the colours of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Muarrab, who won the Listed Jebel Ali Sprint a year and a day ago, was soon in front under the owner’s retained jockey, Paul Hanagan.
Stalked by Rich Tapestry, whom he had chased home in the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint, over the same course and distance, three weeks ago, Hanagan was clearly determined to utilise their plum draw in one.
Gerald Mosse and Rich Tapestry had employed similar positive tactics in the Al Shindagha Sprint but were forced to track Muararb this time.
Mosse’s mount had no response when Hanagan went for home on Muarrab leaving the final turn and eventually lost second, close to the line, to the same owner’s Kifaah, trained by Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
“Last time he tried to anticipate the start and hit the gates so was slowly away,” explained Hanagan.
“He has broken well today and we had the draw in one so he could use his high cruising speed to get to the front. He does not have to make the running but has the natural speed to do so.
Owner, jockey and trainer completed a memorable sprint double with Fityaan leading in the closing strides of the Group 3 Meydan Sprint, needing virtually every stride of the 1000m turf dash to land the spoils.
