Dubai: Former UAE champion trainer Doug Watson flaunted some top-line horses which he hopes will compete at the highest level during the Dubai World Cup Carnival when saddling a three-timer at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday evening.
The American, a vastly successful senior trainer in the UAE with over 21-years local knowledge, must be relishing the prospect of campaigning budding stars like The Taj and Henry Clay in bigger challenges during the season.
Both winners look high-class individuals with Watson nominating the latter for the Listed Jebel Ali Stakes which he won in 2003 with Dubai Honor.
“That was a great night,” said the three-time title-winning horse trainer. “It’s so nice to be back on the dirt here and to have horses that run up to the standard that you think they can. It’s really exciting that the yard is in such good form.
“Henry Clay is another who is a Carnival possible and his next target will be the Jebel Ali Stakes prep.”
“We will see how he comes out of this race but we would have to look at the Carnival for The Taj.”
The four-year-old son of former Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Street Cry clearly relished the dirt surface as he stretched out under stable jockey Pat Dobbs to post an authoritative four and three-quarter length victory over the Musabah Al Muhairi-trainer Ajraam in the Longines Master Collection Handicap.
Having finished second over the same 1200 metres on his last start, The Taj displayed substantial improvement to set Watson and jockey Dane O’Neill thinking about bigger targets.
“We thought he would be hard to beat,” said O’Neill. “He needed that first run and has improved a lot from it.
“Hopefully he will be very competitive at the Dubai World Cup Carnival as he clearly likes this surface and also has good form on turf.”
One Man Band launched Watson’s three-timer when scoring a six-length victory in the Longines Prima Luna Maiden over 1900 metres on dirt and Watson said: “We were very hopeful with One Man Band.
“The wide draw was the main concern but Pat gave him a great ride. It was only his fourth start and second for us so hopefully there is more to come.”
Meanwhile, Shaishee also trumpeted his Carnival credentials with hard-earned half-length victory over Marching Time in the featured Longines Conquest Classic Gents over a mile.
O’Neill was the man on board the Al Muhairi-trainer gallopper who was recording back-to-back wins on the new Meydan track.
“We were confident of a big run,” said O’Neill. “He was a revelation last year on the dirt at Jebel Ali and clearly relishes this new Meydan surface.
“I was happy to commit early and he ran on well. We think he is still improving.”
The evening kicked-off with the Mazrat Al Ruwayah Prep for Purebred Arabians where Bigg N Rich duplicated his victory in the race 12 months ago.
Ridden by Wayne Smith for Abu Dhabi-based French handler Eric Lemartinel, Bigg N Rich came home a length and three-quarters clear of Shateh, as the Ernst Oertel-trained Callateral and Richlore were late withdrawls.
“I thought I would win on him at Al Ain two weeks ago,” said Smith. “However, he just seemed to tire in the closing stages. I was always going well and it was a decent effort.”
The meeting concluded with a 1600m handicap for which a full field of 16 went to post. Champion Jockey, Tadhg O’Shea landed the spoils for trainer Satish Seemar aboard Filfil.
