Dubai: Champion handler Doug Watson is making the winning habit look so easy. The American handler, who has won back-to-back trainer’s championships in the UAE the last two seasons, looks a very strong contender to complete a hat-trick of title victories should his runners keep excelling like they have been thus far in the season.
If Watson was kept busy all evening, saddling up his horses in the pre-parade ring, he was equally occupied collecting the silverware in the presentation arena.
And when he drove home at the end of the seven-race card at Meydan Racecourse, which was sponsored by Pillar Partner, Gulf News, he had a collection of four prizes in his 4WD, including both the feature races of the day.
After Rayya won the opening event on the card and RB Torch cantered home in the Group 2 Bani Yas, the Purebred Arabian feature race, Watson reeled off victories with Moosir in the InsideOut Handicap, Galvanize in the Gulf News Handicap and Active Spirit in the concluding race of the day, the gulfnews.com Handicap.
The four-timer took his total of winners for the season to 17, five ahead of Helal Al Alawi, while his stable jockey, Pat Dobbs moved to 12 winners, just two behind the leader Patrick Cosgrave, who also added to his score when riding the Satish Seemar-trained Secret Ambition to win the tabloid! Handicap.
The jockey said: “It has been a great start to the season and I have been very lucky to be given good chances by top trainers.”
Dane O’Neill, retained rider to Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, was in the irons as Moosir ran an effortless race to win the InsideOut Handicap for Watson.
Watson, who also saddled the runner-up, Say No More and said: “That 1,200m win last time did the horse’s confidence a lot of good and it was a good win tonight. The draw has obviously helped but he has done everything right under a good ride from Dane.
“Say No More has also run a really big race and I would like to think he can win one soon, probably stepped up to 1,600m.
The Gulf News 1,600m handicap saw Galvanize follow up his course and distance victory of four weeks ago.
Ridden by Sam Hitchcott, the winner made smooth progress from midfield to lead at the top of the straight, and hold on comfortably for victory from Direct Message who ran a brave race.
“I was always going well and happy with the way the race panned out,” said Hitchcott. “He took me there going strongly before quickening nicely and finding plenty.
“Doug and his team have the horses in great form and this fellow is progressing nicely; hopefully there is more to come from him as that was only his fifth start for us.”
The Xpress maiden, was won by Chess Master, ridden by Connor Beasley for his main employer, Ahmad Bin Harmash.
Racing off the early speed, Chess Master made his move late to snatch a narrow victory.
“I was pretty confident coming here this evening as he has been working well,” said Beasley, partnering his sixth winner in this his debut UAE season. “He shows plenty of speed at home but, on that evidence, is going to be better over 1,400m or even further.
“The season has gone really well so far and I hope it can continue to do so.”
The entire race meeting was sponsored by Gulf News, one of the longest serving Meydan Pillar Partners.
The newspaper has supported horse racing since the inception of racing under rules in the UAE and was one of the sponsors of the first Dubai World Cup meeting in 1996.
