Mubtaahij (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) extended his almost perfect record at this year's Carnival when running 2 1/2 lengths clear of Uruguayan champion Sir Fever (Uru) (Texas Fever), with their other rivals left trailing over 10 lengths in their wake. Sir Fever made the running on the outside of the other Mike de Kock representative Ajwad (Arg) (Not For Sale {Arg}), while Mubtaahij sat on the tail of his main rival. As the pace quickened around the bend and most horses were already under pressure, the Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa color-bearer zoomed three wide and overtook the front-running pair in a matter of strides, galloping to his first Stakes victory. It was a fifth win in the race for South African Mike De Kock, who landed this in 2007 with Asiatic Boy (Arg) (Not For Sale {Arg}). The latter remains as the only UAE Triple Crown winner, having previously taken the UAE 2000 Guineas and following up in the UAE Derby.
Mubtaahij failed to make the frame in two starts on British turf as a juvenile, but he has looked an altogether different horse since being switched to Meydan's dirt surface. He opened his account on the final day of 2014 in a maiden and doubled up in a conditions event, already defeating his stablemate Ajwad by five lengths. He only missed by a head to Maftool (Hard Spun) in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas Feb. 12, and will now target the UAE Derby, run over course and distance on Dubai World Cup day.
AL BASTIKIYA (SPONSORED BY EMIRATES SKYWARDS)-Listed, $250,000, MEY, 3-7, NH & SH 3yo, 1900m, 1:59.08, ft.
1–MUBTAAHIJ (IRE), 120, c, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Pennegale (Ire), by Pennekamp
2nd Dam: Gale Warning (Ire), by Last Tycoon (Ire)
3rd Dam: Gay Apparel, by Up Spirits
(€450,000 yrl '13 ARQAUG). O-Sheikh Mohammed
bin Khalifa Al Maktoum; B-Dunmore Stud Ltd (Ire);
T-Mike de Kock; J-Dane O'Neill. $150,000. Lifetime
Record: 6-3-1-0, $261,335. *1/2 to Lily Of The
Valley (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}), Ch. 3yo Filly-Eur, G1SW &
MGSW-Fr, $473,009; Calbuco (Fr) (Kendor {Fr}),
SW-Fr, $576,284.
2–Sir Fever (Uru), 130, c, 3, Texas Fever–Sirina (Arg),
by Rainbow Corner (GB). O-Godolphin. $50,000.
3–Ajwad (Arg), 130, c, 3, Not For Sale (Arg)–Asian
Influence, by Pine Bluff. O-Sheikh Mohammed bin
Khalifa Al Maktoum. $25,000.
Margins: 2HF, 10HF, 7HF. Also Ran: Tashbeeh (Aus), Quarterback (Ger), Intenser (Ire). Scratched: High Blade (Brz). Click for the Racing Post result, Video.
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