NEWS
Hills claims inaugural Meydan Masters jockey challenge
Posted: Friday, March 05, 2010 4:18 PM
IMBONGI
Andrew Watkins/Dubai Racing Club
by Steve Bailey
Jockey Richard Hills, the first-call rider for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum, captured the inaugural Meydan Masters jockey challenge on Friday, the final meeting of the Dubai International Racing Carnival prior to the Dubai Word Cup (UAE-G1) on March 27.
Hills won a race, had a second, and a third among the four races on the synthetic Tapeta Footings surface that made up the event at the new Meydan Racecourse.
United States-based Aaron Gryder, who piloted Well Armed to victory in last year’s Dubai World Cup, won the opening leg of the Meydan Masters aboard Alazeyab.
"I do like it here in Dubai and last March was very special,” Gryder said. “It is great to get straight on the board, and the Meydan Masters is a great addition."
Gryder finished third in the next race, a 1,400-meter (6.96-furlong) handicap, aboard Consul General, who was leading with only 300 meters to run but could not hold off Hills and Godolphin’s Sirocco Breeze, who flew home late to win by 2½ lengths.
"These challenges are great fun for the jockeys and it is nice to get a winner. This horse had good form coming into the race and I knew he was one of my best chances."
In the third leg of the challenge, U.S.-based Kent Desormeaux—filling in for Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Calvin Borel—scored in a 2,200-meter (10.94-furlong) handicap by 1 ¼ lengths on Godolphin’s multiple stakes winner Once More Dubai.
"This is a great occasion and all the jockeys are really enjoying it—of course riding a winner is a big help," Desormeaux said.
Hills, who finished second behind Desormeaux aboard Salute Him, cemented the victory in the challenge with a third-place finish aboard Monte Alto in the final leg, a 2,000-meter (9.94-meter) handicap won by 1¼ lengths by Christophe Lemaire on the Dhruba Selvaratnam-trained Kal Barg.
In the final group race of the Carnival, South African Group 2 winner Imbongi took over late and held off a late charge by English stakes winner Kalahari Gold to win the Meydan Zabeel Mile (UAE-G2) by a quarter-length, covering 1,600 meters (7.95 furlongs) on turf in 1:38.64. (video)
Trained by Mike de Kock, Imbongi won for the first time at Meydan after second-place finishes at the new racecourse in his first two races of the season.
"I have to be very pleased with that as we were concerned about the going being a bit firm,” de Kock said. “Hopefully, we will go to Dubai World Cup night now, but we must decide between the Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1) and the Godolphin Mile (UAE-G2)."
Meydan officials also announced on Friday that international recording superstars Elton John and Carlos Santana will play a concert at Meydan immediately following the $10-million Dubai World Cup on March 27. The race is scheduled to take place at about 10:45 p.m. local time with the concert beginning afterward.
Steve Bailey is deputy news editor of Thoroughbred Times
