The Dubai Racing Carnival produced another compelling chapter at Meydan on Thursday night, where international challengers again stamped their authority on a programme rich in quality and drama. The highlight came in the Group 3 Dubai Millennium Stakes, where Britain’s Fort George dug deep in the closing strides to snatch victory in a pulsating finish that underlined the global depth of this season’s carnival.
Trained in the UK by Ed Walker, Fort George tracked the pace throughout the 2000-metre turf contest, briefly surrendering the lead to Arabian Light inside the final 100 metres. Just when the race appeared lost, the gelding rallied again as his rival drifted across the track, getting back up right on the line to secure a memorable success.
The victory marked a third winner of the carnival for jockey Kieran Shoemark, who praised the preparation behind the horse’s performance.
Shoemark said Fort George had improved significantly since arriving in Dubai, adding that a change of tactics — pushing forward earlier than usual — had played a key role in the result. The jockey also suggested the versatile runner could be effective over longer distances later in the season.
Owner Dr Jim Hay described the performance as hugely satisfying and confirmed the intention is to keep the horse in Dubai through to World Cup night, with connections set to map out the next steps carefully.
Dubai Racing Carnival: European Raiders Shine Across the Card
Beyond the feature race, the Dubai Racing Carnival meeting showcased strong performances from European visitors, including a memorable double for Denmark.
Jockey Oliver Wilson secured his first carnival victory when Taifuu produced a late surge to win the 1400-metre turf contest for three-year-old fillies. The race was run at a strong tempo by locally trained runners, but Taifuu powered home late to register a third consecutive victory, finishing three-quarters of a length clear of Fairy Oak.
Wilson admitted the performance exceeded expectations given the filly’s three-month absence from racing, noting she is likely to improve further over longer distances.
Denmark’s success continued when trainer Bent Olsen secured a long-awaited carnival victory courtesy of Great Wish in the Listed Dubai Sprint. Despite early interference, the five-year-old settled well behind the pace before asserting strongly over 400 metres from home and holding off his challengers comfortably in the closing stages.
The ride, delivered by Mickael Barzalona, reflected precise execution of pre-race instructions, with the rider ensuring the horse broke cleanly and conserved momentum throughout.
Classic Prospects Begin to Emerge
The meeting also offered important clues for upcoming classic races. Title Role, highly regarded by trainers Simon and Ed Crisford, justified his reputation by winning the Jumeirah Guineas Trial in authoritative fashion.
From a wide draw, jockey James Doyle positioned the colt prominently behind a slow early pace before asking for an effort approaching the final 300 metres. The response was immediate, with the colt stretching clear to score comfortably and strengthen his credentials for future targets.
Elsewhere, Salloom produced one of the most visually striking performances of the evening in the 1600-metre dirt maiden. The imposing son of Authentic travelled strongly throughout before surging clear to win by nearly seven lengths, immediately marking himself as a potential UAE Derby candidate.
Champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea praised the horse’s attitude and improvement, noting extensive gate schooling had helped overcome earlier issues. The rider suggested the colt possesses significant long-term potential.
International Dirt Form on Display
Russian Group 1 winner Tap Leader made a successful local debut in the 2000-metre dirt handicap, overcoming early kickback to finish strongly under Pat Dobbs. The experienced runner demonstrated both toughness and adaptability, traits often associated with horses emerging from Eastern European racing circuits.
Dobbs reported the horse would likely improve for the experience and could be even more effective in smaller fields where his cruising speed can be used more efficiently.
The Crisford stable later completed a double when Telemark showed trademark determination to land the 1600-metre dirt handicap. Positioned in midfield early, the horse produced a sustained late run to win in a tight finish, demonstrating both resilience and competitive spirit.
William Buick praised the horse’s determination, noting his willingness to respond when challenged in the closing stages.
The evening concluded with a late-running success for The Fingal Raven, who swooped late to land the closing 1600-metre turf handicap. Jockey Saffie Osborne credited patient handling by connections and highlighted the horse’s strong finishing speed as his key asset.
The Dubai Racing Carnival now pauses briefly before resuming next week, when feature races will again draw international attention to Meydan as the season continues to build toward its marquee fixtures.
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