DUBAI - His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, attended today the Super Saturday race meeting, held at Meydan Racecourse, just three weeks out from the world’s richest race day, the Dubai World Cup.

The race meeting was also attended by Sheikhs, local and international owners.

Sheikh Mohammed praised the level of participation at the Super Saturday and welcomed the guests who will attend the Dubai World Cup.

The card kicked off with an inspired performance by Al Bayraq Stable’s Emblem Storm from Saudi Arabia, who was ridden confidently by Oisin Murphy for trainer Satish Seemar.

Seemar came right back with another one-two finish in the Group 3 $350,000 Mahab Al Shimaal for dirt sprinters, with Nasir Askar’s Wafy closing resolutely under Tadhg O’Shea to best stablemate Leading Spirit by three parts of a length.

W C Racing’s Wildman Jack blitzed the track record for 1200m on grass in the $350,000 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3), finishing up in 1:07.61 in nearly gate-to-wire fashion under Fernando Jara. The win was American trainer Doug O’Neill’s third of the 2020 DWC Carnival and the first American win on grass in Dubai history.

Dirt milers took to the stage in the $350,000 Burj Nahaar (G3), but it was a horse making his dirt debut who won impressively in Fawzi Nass-trained Salute the Soldier, who stalked and pounced under Adrie de Vries en route to win.

The first Group 1 of the season took place in the Jebel Hatta, which carries a $400,000 purse. The 1800m affair became a showcase for the skills of trainer Charlie Appleby, as his Godolphin blue-clad team finished first, second and third with Barney Roy besting mare Magic Lily and hard-trying Spotify.

Group 1 action continued in the $600,000 Al Maktoum Challenge R3, which was a tour de force for Matterhorn, donning the light blue of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and ridden by Mickael Barzalona for trainer Salem bin Ghadayer.

The finale was the $350,000 Dubai City of Gold (G2) for horses with $6 million Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) dreams in three weeks and was won in determined fashion by Godolphin’s Loxley by a head over heavily favoured Defoe, giving trainer Charlie Appleby a third consecutive win in the race.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2020.