MEYDAN ROUND-UP

The racing at Meydan racecourse, pictured left, this evening again produced some interesting winners. The first winner of the evening was the British trained, Rakaan (Bahamian Bounty), who won the 7f handicap on the Taoeta surface. This Jamie Osborne inmate was winnnig his third start. Rakaan had been a useful juvenile as he had not only finished runner-up in Canford Cliffs maiden but was also third to the same horse in the Coventry Stakes (Gr 2) , when under the care of Brian Meehan. Rakeen, who is a son of the Bahamian Bounty (Cadeaux Genereux) is from the family of useful Gr 3 juvenile Rag Top (Barathea). Rakaan is out of a Spectrum daughter so is bred on a Cadeaux Genereux/Blushing Groom cross which has also produced Silca's Gift (Gr 3) and Winter Romance (Gr 3), but also the useful Queen's Grace (L).

The next race of the evening was the first of a Mike de Kock/Christophe Soumillon three timer (although Soumillon also rode a fourth winner on Prohibit). Hunting Tower, who is a son the of the Sadler's Wells horse, Fort Wood, won the 11f Handicap (Tapeta). This former dual South African Gr 1 winners is out of a Royal Chalice (Royal Prerogative) daughter and the Fort Wood/Royal Prerogative cross has also produced the South African Gr 3 winner Over Bearing and Avon Wood.

Next up at Meydan was Golden Sword (High Chaparral),who was only winning his second start, gave the Mike de Kock/Christophe Soumillon team their second win . Golden Sword's only other win came when he won the British Classic trial, Chester Vase (Gr 3), in May 2009, from Masterofthehorse (Sadler's Wells), who was in fact from his same family (both were out of half-sisters) of Shouk (Ahonoora) and Gr 1 winners Alexandrova (Sadler's Wells) and Magical Romance (Barathea) . Golden Sword's sire, High Chaparral (Sadler's Wells), is one of the few European based sires that is very much on the up. He has now sired 22 stakes winners, in both the Hemispheres, of which five are Gr 1 winners. Of these Gr 1 winners only Redwood, winner of Northern Dancer Turf Stakes, is in the Northern Hemisphere . Golden Sword is bred on the High Chaparral/Northern Dancer cross which has produced 10 stakes winners.

It was the Green Desert branch of the Danzig sire-line that dominated to result of the 5f handicap on the turf. the Juddmonte six-year-old cast off, Prohibit (Oasis Dream) just got to beat Invincible Ash (Invincible Spirit) by a short head. Prohibit, who is a half-brother to stakes winner Prior Warning (L) and Emergency (L), from the family of Out Of Reach (Gr 3), is proving to be a useful sprinter and certainly looks worth following in the big sprints in Europe in 2011. The speedy Green Desert/Warning cross which Prohibit is bred on has produced five stakes winners which also includes the 6f Listed winner Suez.

Godolphin's Skysurfers (E Dubai) look impressive when winning the Firebreak Stakes (L) by 1 1/2 lengths from Musir (Redoute's Choice). This five-year-old was winning his third race having not won since last year's Carnival. This Darley bred, who is out of a full-sister to Gr 2 winner Dakhla Oasis and Gr 3 winner Dyhim Diamond looks an ideal candidate for Godolphin Mile, on Super Thursday. Skysurfers, sire E Dubai, who is now standing Ghost Ridge Farm, in Pennsylvania, for $10,000, is now the sire of 16 stakes winners, of which includes his recent San Pasqual Handicap (Gr 2) winner, Aggie Engineer.

The big race of the evening, the UAE 2,000 Guineas (Gr 3) (Tapeta), was won the 10/1 outsider, Splash Point (Street Cry). This gave his sire, Street Cry, his second win in the race having also won it with Desert Party in 2009. Splash Point is not only bred on the Street Cry/Danehill cross as Shocking, the 2009 Melbourne Cup (Gr 1), but also Aus Gr 3 winner Tallow, who is out of a Lion Hunter (Danehill) daughter. Street Cry, like his sire Machiavellian, is showing a strong affinity with Danzig line mares as he has also sired three other stakes winners on the cross which includes the 2010 Forego Stakes winner, Here Comes Ben (Gr 1), who is out of a Dayjur daughter . What is interesting about the Street Cry/Danzig cross is that Danzig line has also done well with Street Cry close relative, Shamardal (Giant's Causeway), who has sired four stakes winners on the cross, which include the British Classic hopefuls Casamento (Gr 1) and Dunboyne Express (Gr 3). Not only that but Shamardal is also out of a Machiavellian daughter. This Mahmood Al Zarooni (Goldolphin) trained, Splash Point looks destined for a crack at the UAE Derby next.

The final winner of the evening gave de Kock and Soumillon their third win when the 2010 UAE Oaks winner, Raihana (Elusive Quality), won her first race of the 2011 Carnival when taking the 9f turf handicap. This five-yeDar-old daugther of Elusive Quality (Gone West) is bred on a interesting cross which Ihave covered in his blog previously. Click here to read it. Raihana looks to have a couple of targets ear marked for her during the rest of the Carnival which could include the Jebel Hatta (Gr 2), on Super Thursday, and the Duty Free (Gr 1), on World Cup Night. CWC