Dubai: Secret Ambition wins Firebreak Stakes, headed to Godolphin Mile; Mouheeb takes UAE 2000 Guineas

Secret Ambition dominated the Firebreak Stakes on Thursday night at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai while Mouheeb got up in the final strides to win the co-featured UEA 2000 Guineas.

Secret Ambition scored by 3 3/4 lengths in the Group 3, $130,000 Firebreak, though his task was made easier when chief rival Matterhorn, making his first start in the better part of a year, faded through the field and was pulled up at about the 600-meter mark. By then, Secret Ambition, ridden aggressively to the front by Tadgh O’Shea, had asserted control, and though runner-up Hypothetical gained some late ground he came nowhere near the winner, who clocked 1:36.12 for this one-turn 1,600 meters on dirt.

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Satish Seemar trains Secret Ambition, an 8-year-old horse by Exceed and Excel out of Inner Secret, by Singspiel. Seemar said after the race connections would have to think about whether Secret Ambition races before the Dubai World Cup card or goes straight to the Godolphin Mile on that March 26 program.

In the Group 3, $125,000 UAE Guineas, another 1,600-meter dirt race, Moheeb needed a final late surge to get up by a neck over Meshakel under former American jockey Ryan Curatolo. Naval Crown, the Godolphin colt making his dirt debut, was in contention a furlong out but faded late and wound up third, beaten 3 3/4 lengths.

Mouheeb, trained by Nicholas Bachalard, is a 3-year-old American-bred by Flatter out of Shananie’s Song, by Eltish. He won his career debut at Jebel Ali in December and had been a close second in a conditions race last month at Meydan before this victory. Bachalard said Mouheeb has an invitation to the Saudi Derby on Feb. 20 but wondered if that race would come up too quickly for the horse.