The Zabeel Mile provided the focal point of Meydan’s first Dubai Racing Carnival meeting of 2026 on Friday, 2 January, as Quddwah delivered a polished performance to give Simon and Ed Crisford a second consecutive victory in the Group 2 feature.
A year on from Poker Face’s success, the father-and-son training team returned with another measured, professional display, Quddwah showing composure and authority against a field rich in proven international form. The early Carnival signal was clear: the Crisfords have arrived ready.
Facing accomplished rivals including Group-level winners Aomori City and Audience, Quddwah travelled smoothly through the race before the contest ignited in the straight. Audience struck boldly for home and briefly looked set to steal a decisive break, but inside the final 200 metres Quddwah lengthened with purpose. He reeled in the leader and drew clear, scoring by a length and a quarter, with Aomori City closing late into second and Audience holding third.
James Doyle, returning to the saddle for the first time on the gelding in some time, spoke of a ride that unfolded exactly as hoped. With room to manoeuvre and a willing partner beneath him, Doyle was able to time his move with confidence, allowing Quddwah’s consistency and determination to do the rest.
The rider, who previously captured this race in 2020, reflected on Quddwah’s reliability under pressure, noting that he finds when it matters most. Connections are understandably cautious about future targets, but the performance suggested a horse comfortable at this level and capable of stepping into deeper waters later in the Carnival.
Ed Crisford was quick to praise the manner of the victory, highlighting how well Quddwah has adapted to his surroundings and how deliberately the race had been approached. Settled just off the pace, the gelding was produced late, a tactic decided earlier in the season and one that paid dividends under the Meydan lights.
The Crisfords and Doyle later completed a notable double when Meydaan finally broke his local duck in the closing long-distance handicap over 2810 metres on turf. The five-year-old, previously seen finishing tenth in the Melbourne Cup, showed his class by pulling clear in the straight to defeat Burdett Road by two lengths, with Nightwalker a further four lengths back in third.
Doyle felt the performance underlined Meydaan’s quality, suggesting that a return to a shorter distance could now be on the agenda after proving the extended trip in Australia may have stretched him.
El Nasseeb continued his upward curve in the card’s dirt feature, once again displaying a sharp turn of foot late. Mufasa took the field along and briefly looked set to fend off all challengers, but El Nasseeb swept past in the closing stages to win decisively by three lengths. The result confirmed his growing reputation as a dependable finisher when the tempo lifts.
There was more success for international connections as Two Tribes claimed the 1200-metre turf handicap in a tight finish, edging Indian Springs by a diminishing head. The win marked a first Meydan success for both horse and rider, achieved despite the five-year-old returning from a short break.
British-trained runners enjoyed further reward when Northern Champion showed grit and resolve to land the Jumeirah Stakes. Locked in battle to the line, the three-year-old refused to yield and edged out Catullus in the final stride, rewarding a determined ride and underlining his potential for the winter ahead.
William Buick, despite narrowly missing out there, enjoyed a productive evening, steering Six Speed to a commanding success in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial. Quick into stride and efficient through the race, Six Speed asserted decisively in the straight, winning by three and a quarter lengths from Legalaized, who shaped well on local debut. The performance placed Six Speed firmly on course for the Guineas itself.
Buick also opened the card with a strong front-running display aboard Arabian Light in the 2000-metre Zabeel Turf, overcoming a wide draw to score by three-quarters of a length from stablemate Bedouin Prince.
The Dubai Racing Carnival continues on Friday, 9 January, with the Lord North Handicap taking centre stage as the early-season narrative begins to gather momentum.
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