Dubai: Jockey Christophe Soumillon and trainer Mike De Kock combined with River Jetez to win the Group Two Balanchine Stakes at the seventh meeting of the Dubai International Racing Carnival sponsored by Emirates NBD.
The winner was delivered late to deny stable companion Reem in the final 200 metres.
Soumillon used similar tactics in the final on Golden Sword who broke the track record over the 2,000-metre distance of the Dubai World Cup.
Racing opened with the Group Two Bani Yas, a Purebred Arabian contest over 1,400 metres on the All-Weather and it was won by the Ted Durcan-ridden Dariya to deny fancied Kandar Du Falgas.
Doug Watson opened his Carnival account with Famous Warrior in the 1,600-metre handicap, and then doubled his tally with War Monger in the following 1,800-metre race. Both winners were ridden by Tadhg O'Shea.
Watson went on to complete a treble with Barbecue Eddie in the 1,400-metre Business Banking with Richard Hills while War Artist landed the 1,200-metre Corporate Banking.
The 2,504-metre Asset Management handicap provided Johnny Murtagh with his first Meydan winner as he produced the Mahmoud Al Zarouni-trained Calvados Blues closer to home to deny Herman Brown's Mikhail Glinka.
