Reynaldothewizard may get another shot at Golden Shaheen
The 9-year-old gelding Reynaldothewizard won for the first time in nearly two years in Thursday’s $150,000 Dubawi Stakes over six furlongs at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, a performance that could lead to a start in the $2 million Golden Shaheen for sprinters on March 28.
Reynaldothewizard won the 2013 Golden Shaheen but was winless in three starts in the United Arab Emirates in 2014. Reynaldothewizard was fourth in the 2014 Golden Shaheen.
Trained by Satish Seemar and ridden by Richard Mullen, Reynaldothewizard stalked pacesetter Caspian Prince to the top of the stretch before taking the lead in the Dubawi Stakes. Reynaldothewizard, a 4-1 shot with British bookmakers, won the six-furlong race by 3 3/4 lengths over Muarrab, the 3-2 favorite. United Color, who was third in the 2014 Golden Shaheen, finished third in the field of nine. Conveyance, 15th in the 2010 Kentucky Derby, finished eighth.
Seemar said that Reynaldothewizard may have a prep race for the Golden Shaheen on March 7. A Kentucky-bred by Speightstown owned by Zabeel International, Reynaldothewizard began his career in the United States, where he finished third in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special in 2008 in his second start for trainer Eoin Harty.
There were two other notable races on the seven-race Meydan program, preps for the United Arab Emirates 1000 and 2000 Guineas in coming weeks.
Local Time, the winner of the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket, England, on Oct. 4, won the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial for fillies over seven furlongs on dirt, catching stretch leader Ad Idem by a short head in the final stride.
Local Time, the 5-4 favorite, was ridden by James Doyle for trainer Saeed Bin Suroor and the Maktoum family’s Godolphin Racing. Local Time has won four consecutive starts, a streak that began in England in August.
Ad Idem is trained by Michael De Kock, who saddled the first two finishers of the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial with Mubtaahij (8-1) and Ajwad (12-1). Ajwad set the pace and was caught on the turn by Mubtaahij, who pulled away to win by five lengths under jockey Dane O’Neill. The first two finishers are owned by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.
Maftool, the 4-6 favorite, finished third in the field of 13.
De Kock said that Mubtaahij is a candidate for the UAE Derby on March 28. The March 28 program is led by the $10 million Dubai World Cup.