British raider Ouzo bids to maintain his unbeaten run at the Dubai Racing Carnival on Friday when he lines up for the feature race of the evening, the Lord Glitter Handicap over 1,800 metres on turf.
Saffie Osborne takes the ride on the eight-year-old son of Charm Spirt who is trained by her father Jamie at the Old Malthouse Stables in Hungerford England.
A veteran of 37 races Ouzo won the Lord North Handicap over the same 1800 metres of turf also at Meydan a month ago.
However, as he bids for repeat performance standing in his way for five imposing Godolphin runners including Imperial Emperor and Highbank, who were third and fourth in the aforementioned race.
In-form handler Charlie Appleby also sends out First Sight, the choice of stable jockey William Buick, while fellow Godolphin handler Saeed bin Suroor relies upon Meydan veteran Laser Show and White Wolf, who will be looking to compensate for his short-head defeat in a handicap at last season’s Carnival.
Osborne’s Ouzo must also cope with a significant jump in handicapto a mark of 102 if he hopes to enjoy his happy days in Dubai.
The trainer commented: “He came here last year and he kept hitting the crossbar off 93 and 94 so I was worried about him coming here and doing it off 98. I thought it was a long shot that he would win here and he certainly put up a lifetime best.
“He now has to try and do it off 102, which I’m not sure is possible, but he does seem to be in the form of his life.”
Meanwhile, Beautiful Love bids to continue Appleby’s perfect record in the Classic generation’s turf races at this season’s Carnival where he has won all five of them when runs in the Defender 130 Stakes over a mile on Turf.
Beautiful Love was a staying on second behind stable companion Cinderella’s Dream in the Jumeirah Fillies’ Classic two weeks ago and Appleby said: “We were pleased with Beautiful Love in the Jumeirah Fillies’ Classic and stepping back up to a mile is going to suit. She heads into this in good shape and we are confident that she will be there or thereabouts.”
Taking on the Godolphin filly is Bahrain’s Athan who has not been disgraced in two starts this season where he was third and second to Appleby’s Legend of Time in two legs of the Jumeirah Guineas series.
“He’s an improving horse and I think he should have a really good chance,” said a confident Adrie De Vries of the Fawzi Nass-trained colt, who shoulders 62kg due to his Southern Hemisphere breeding. “He has to give away a lot of weight, but the competition is not that strong and he’s capable of winning.”
A quality field of eight goes to post in the Land Rover Handicap over 1400 metres on dirt where the Bhupat Seemar-trained My Dubawi looks an interesting contender having bolted up over course and distance two weeks ago.
Seemar’s galloper takes on Irregular Warfare, who starts for Fawzi Nass having previously been trained by Roger Varian in the UK.
“He’s definitely an interesting horse but he’s had a few setbacks so he could need the run,” said jockey De Vries. “He’s talented though and I’m pretty sure he’ll go on dirt.”
A capacity field of 16 goes to post in the concluding Defender 90 Handicap, over 2000 metres on turf which looks like a very open race.
Arabian Tale, who will be ridden by eleven-times UAE Champion O’Shea got off the mark at Abu Dhabi and should run well/
“He’s a lovely horse and I’m looking forward to riding him,” said O’Shea. “He won really well on just his second local start at Abu Dhabi last time and I think this step up in trip will suit him.”