Argentine-bred outruns rivals on day of debutant winners at UAE Golden Jubilee races at Meydan
It may have taken three long years but when Argentinian-bred For The Top finally rediscovered the winning ways he did so in impressive fashion, running out a comfortable four-length winner of The Entisar, the feature race as Meydan celebrated the UAE’s landmark 50th National Day on Thursday, December 2.
Each of the evening’s seven races was named after an Emirate in the UAE and was proudly sponsored by divisions of the country’s Military.
Trained by Emirati Musabbeh Al Mheiri, who was winning the race for the third time, For The Top raced in mid-division for most of the 2,000 metre trip before being pushed to lead by his jockey Antonio Fresu inside the final three furlongs.
In a matter of strides the six-year-old son of Equal Stripes assumed control of the race and stretched out to win as he liked from the favorite, Remorse, with stable companion Salarin Dubai 12 lengths back in third.
It may be asking a fair bit to expect For The Top to try to emulate fellow Argentine-bred Invasor, who won the 2007 Dubai World Cup, but he still confirmed himself a very promising type and a likely contender for the big races during the season.
“The last time I sat on him was over a mile in Abu Dhabi and it was obviously too short for him and don’t think he was ready,” said Fresu.
“Today I was comfortable to be third or fourth mot receiving any kickback. When I asked him to kick he did in a nice style. He’s a nice horse, always has been a nice horse. Obviously, he needed to bounce back and he did it tonight.”
Fresu was full of praise for trainer Al Mheiri and said: “He’s a very good trainer, he’s always doing the right things and likes to see his horses happy. They improve when they can and they’re showing it this season.
Earlier in the evening, it was the turn of debutants Mujeer and Tipitution to seize their share of the spotlight.
The former, ridden by apprentice Saif Al Baloushi for Al Aasfa Stables handler Ahmed bin Harmash, ran on well in the final 100 metres to win the Dubai sponsored by the UAE Navy, by a neck from Street Mood and Sandro Paiva, while Tapitution caught the eye when taking the Sharjah maiden sponsored by Air Force and Air Defence.
Formerly trained by American Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Tapitution confirmed himself a very promising type and impressed Tadhg O’Shea who said: “When these American horses come they hit the gates, He’s a very easy horse to train, he doesn’t pull and I was keen to make plenty of use with him.
“I’m sure he’ll improve, he’s a horse that will stretch out as well. Nine or ten (furlongs) will pose no problem for him. He’s a horse with a really nice attitude.”
Champion trainer Doug Watson seldom goes home without a trophy and he did not disappoint on Thursday after saddling UAE debutant Everfast to win the Ras Al Khaimah Sponsored by Support Forces.
