He was once known as the ‘Russian Frankel’ and Tuz (pictured) showed why with a stunning success in the G3 Dubawi Stakes – an early prep for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen.
The lightly raced seven-year-old was beaten by Eastern World at Sharjah on his reappearance but took no prisoners here, beating that rival and 11 others in blistering fashion. Drawn in 13, the Bhupat Seemar-trained gelding blasted out of the stalls and barely saw another rival, charging further clear in the straight and beating stablemate Leading Spirit by eight and a half lengths.
“When he’s good, he’s very good,” said winning rider Tadhg O’Shea. “He carried a penalty at Sharjah and he’s a big horse, so he needed the run. He had a bad habit before of not changing his lead but he’s over all that now. The best thing about him is that he has so much early speed.
“He’ll give his roommate [G1 winner] Switzerland something to think about in the coming weeks!”
Overcoming wide draws became something of a theme as Pat Dobbs did the same when guiding Doug Watson’s San Donato to success in the G2 Zabeel Mile.
Also breaking from 13 but on the turf, he had to suffer at the back early on but found a gap along the rail once Marbaan had gone for home. From there, Dobbs had plenty of horse left and easily passed that rival and wide challenging El Patriota, who finished third.
“When he’s on song he’s very good and carries you into the race well,” said Dobbs. “I knew he was on form today because he went to post all fired up.
“I was following a horse I didn’t want to and had to pray for the gaps, but they opened and he went through them very well.”
