Splash Point makes waves with UAE 2000 Guineas win

Mahmood Al Zarooni

Mike de Kock’s charmed run at this year’s Dubai Racing International Carnival was interrupted, if only briefly, when Zanzamar looked an unlucky runner-up in the Group Three UAE 2000 Guineas at Meydan.

Richard Hills had Zanzamar following the pace off the home turn, but then the jockey had nowhere to go when first trying to make his move in the straight. Hills then had to switch for a rails run with less than a furlong to run. At the same time Mickael Barzalona was coming down the outside with a clear run on Splash Point, who had been beaten a length by Zanzamar in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial last month.

This time Splash Point got the verdict by the same margin but it will be interesting to see how this rivalry unfolds if both colts follow the Triple Crown path by running in the Al Bastakiya on Super Thursday and then the UAE Derby on Dubai World Cup night.

Splash Point was a first UAE Classic winner for trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni who said: "That is a great feeling and I am delighted. Splash Point ran well first time and we were hoping for a big run. Mickael did everything right."

Frankie Dettori got it right when he chose Skysurfers from the three Godolphin runners saddled by Saeed bin Suroor for the Listed Firebreak Stakes. Skysurfers, who won this race 12 months ago, was always travelling strongly as the pair denied last year's UAE 2000 Guineas and Derby winner, the de Kock-trained Musir. ”The horse had been working very well and seems to run best when fresh,” Bin Suroor said. “We will probably wait until [Dubai] World Cup night now and the Godolphin Mile."

De Kock and Christophe Soumillon may have been out of luck with the big races but they still managed three winners on the card. Hunting Tower set the ball rolling when he returned to winning ways in the Dubal Casthouse Trophy, before Golden Sword won the Dubal Potlines Trophy and Raihana completed the treble in the concluding Dubal Excellence Trophy. And the Belgian jockey picked up a fourth winner in the Dubal Trophy on Prohibit for Robert Cowell.

After his four-timer of last week, the De Kock team remains in great form and the trainer said: "It has been another good night and it is nice to get a treble. Hunting Tower has been a great servant over the years and we thought Golden Sword was back to something like his best. Raihana ran well last time and we hoped for a big run.

“Obviously it would have been nice to win one of the features but Musir and Zanzamar have both run good races and perhaps, with some luck and a clear passage, Zanzamar especially could have won."

British trainers have been prospering at this year’s Carnival and Rakaan, ridden by Ted Durcan, took the Dubal Imtiaz Trophy for Jamie Osborne.

Paul Wheeler

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