Prince Eiji wins Listed Dubai Creek Mile at Meydan

Seemar and O’Shea too take home two prizes at Meydan’s seven-race card

Pat Dobbs on Prince Eiji wins the Listed Dubai Creek Mile at Meydan on Thursday, December 1, 2020. – Adiyat Racing Plus

Prince Eiji returned to the track after a summer in the UAE to clinch the Listed Dubai Creek Mile and complete a double for the trainer-jockey partnership of Doug Watson and Pat Dobbs at Meydan on Thursday.

Dobbs had the six-year-old Dubawi gelding settled behind the leaders and when asked for an effort he quickened nicely to win from Danyah and Uruguayan raider Atletico El Culano.

A 2,600,000gns purchase by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid as a yearling in 2017, Prince Eiji made a winning racecourse debut at Ascot in September 2018 for trainer Roger Varian.

However, that was the only success he had in 13 starts in his European campaign before arriving at Watson’s yard in Dubai last summer, where he finished runner-up in his first run and fourth in the next before being unplaced in the final run of that season.

“He has had the summer here which has really helped him and he is a lot bigger and stronger now. Hopefully he can have a big season,” Dibbs said.

Watson added: “I was impressed with that because we probably wanted to lead but so did many others and Pat settled him in behind. Luckily Pat was right and it all worked out nicely.”

The seven-race card kicked off with a 1,200m maiden which proved a relatively straightforward win for Dobbs and Colour Up, the Mehmas gelding making it third time lucky in the colours of Sayed Hashish.

Saddled by Erwan Charpy for one outing last season in March, he was runner-up on his first start for Watson, over 1,400m here at Meydan and was far too good for seven opponents on this occasion.

“He has been training nicely and ran well first time when he needed the race but this 1,200m is probably his ideal trip,” Watson said.

The UAE champion trainer and jockey Bhupat Seemar and Tadhg O’Shea too completed a double on the night.

Morning, in the silks of Naser Askar, improved from his promising debut over the track-and-trip a month ago to win the third race and the trainer-jockey combination completed their double with Bendoog landing the sixth race.

“He ran well the first day but has clearly progressed and learned a lot from that,” O’Shea said of Morning.

“We were pretty hopeful coming here tonight and he did it well. This is his trip, for now, but he should stay further down the line.”

Bendoog proved too good for six rivals in the colours of Mohammed Khaleel Ahmed.

“He has improved and grown over the winter and is, we hope, a horse who can have a good season as he is still young and can only get better you would think.”

Results:

6pm: Abu Dhabi Land Forces - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,200m

Winner: Colour Up, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)

6.35pm: Dubai Naval Forces - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m

Winner: Here We Go, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer

7.10pm: Sharjah Air Force - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,200m

Winner: Morning, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar

7.45pm: Ajman Presidential Guard - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner: El Baareq, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly

8.20pm: Dubai Creek Mile – Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Prince Eiji, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson

8.55pm: Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah Joint Aviation - Rated Conditions

(TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Bendoog, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar

9.30pm: Fujairah National Service and Reserve - Handicap (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m

Winner: Triple Venture, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash