Meydan: Polar River dominates UAE 1000 Guineas

There were two Group 3 races on the seven-race card at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday night in Dubai, but the horse that grabbed the most attention was Polar River, who blasted home a 13-length winner of the listed UAE 1000 Guineas.

Polar River, an American-bred by Congrats out of Bayou Tortuga (by Empire Maker) debuted in December at Meydan and won a maiden race over about six furlongs on dirt by 13 lengths. She captured the seven-furlong UAE 1000 Guineas Trial by 4 3/4 lengths over Promising Run last month at Meydan, and on Thursday, in the $250,000 UAE 1000 Guineas over about one mile, she ran better still.

Racing three wide in third down the backstretch of the one-turn race, jockey Pat Dobbs let Polar River out a notch to get into the two path and second around the bend, and when Dobbs gave Polar River her head and the filly switched leads, the race was over. She drew steadily away while never feeling the crop in a dominant performance. Polar River might not have beaten any true dirt horses, but runner-up Promising Run is by dirt sire Hard Spun and won a Group 2 on turf last year.

“She’s exceptional, that turn of foot she has,” said Dobbs. “Halfway down the backstretch she doesn’t give you much of a feel. She’s lazy and green, and then she wins the race so quickly. I don’t know what would happen if you gave her a wake-up call.”

Polar River is trained by former Kiaran McLaughlin assistant Doug Watson, who won two races on the Thursday card, and owned by Valentin Bukhtoyarov and Evgeny Kapphushev. Watson said afterward that the filly would start next in the UAE Oaks on March 4, and possibly be pointed to the UAE Derby on March 26. A North American campaign later this year also has to be considered, Watson said.

“If she keeps progressing like this, it would only be fair to her to take her over there,” Watson said.

Polar River was timed in 1:37.09 for her 1,600 meters, and that time looked pretty good when, later Thursday, Market Rally led all the way and won the Group 3, $250,000 UAE 2000 Guineas by six lengths over Lazzam, running the same distance in 1:38.08. Market Rally, an American-bred by Unbridled’s Song, races for Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid al Maktoum and is trained by Dhruba Selvaratnam. He had finished fourth in the Guineas prep but made the lead under Chris Hayes and never was headed.

Thing did not go nearly so well for the Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Marking, who was heavily favored to win the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint, an early prep for the Group 1 Golden Shaheen on the Dubai World Cup card. Marking broke awkwardly and stumbled badly just out of the gate, unseating jockey James Doyle. Both horse and rider appeared to have avoided serious injury, and in their absence, the 8-year-old Hong Kong star Rich Tapestry made the lead and never looked back, winning by 1 1/2 lengths over Muarrab.