Scots Pine, ridden by Richard Mullen, races towards the finish line to win the Graduate Stakes at the Meydan Racecourse on Thursday. Courtesy: Dubai Racing Club Twitter
Racing at Meydan returned on Thursday evening with a seven race card officially highlighted by the Graduate Stakes sponsored by Emirates Airlines, won by Scots Pine, ridden by Richard Mullen.
A new race this season, the 1400m conditions contest was restricted to horses purchased at the ERA Racing in Dubai Sales staged in September 2020 or 2021, as well as April 2021. The winner cost just Dhs35,000 in September 2020.
It attracted a field of just five and Mullen, riding in the colours of Sayed Hashish & Hana Refai, went straight to the front, stalked by Melicertes. When that rival weakened about 275m out the result was never in doubt.
A 4yo gelded son of Shamardal, he was losing his maiden tag at the sixth attempt, fourth locally and on his first appearance for trainer Beverley Deutrom.
Part-owner Hashish said: “Hopefully he is going to turn out a bargain and we thought dirt would suit him though he has good turf form.
“He had sore shins last season so he had excuses and it is great to get a winner early on.”
The meeting licked off with a 1400m maiden for 3yos, the Arabian Adventures and it went to Atlantic Sky, produced to lead close home by Antonio Fresu, sporting the silks of Saeed Sultan Al Rahoomi for Musabbeh Al Mheiri.
A Shamardal gelding, he raced just once last season, over 1600m on the Meydan dirt when trained by Doug Watson. Slowly away on that occasion, he repeated the trick here and was ridden patiently by Fresu who sent him after the leaders about 300m out.
That was the point Al Maroom, the only filly in the race, hit the front but Fresu’s mount collared her in the final 50m. His dam, Local Time, won both the UAE 1000 Guineas and Oaks in 2015 for Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor.
Fresu and Al Mheiri immediately…