Dark Saffron serves up spicy start to carnival

G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Dark Saffron wasted no time in getting his campaign off to the best possible start with a facile success in the very first race of the 2025-26 Dubai Racing Carnival.

Ahmad Bin Harmash’s three-year-old and jockey Connor Beasley kept it simple against just three rivals in the Emirates Airline Conditions Stakes, making all and cruising to a four and a half-length success over Rammayy.

“It was a good starting point and well chosen by the boss,” said Beasley. “It was better than ten gallops at home. He’s strengthened up a fair bit. He’s a horse with a lot of class and a lot of ability and he improved race by race last season.

“He’s run on the turf and the dirt but he’s an out and out dirt horse.”

Harmash saddled a double when Union Security took the 1200metre Emirates Courier Express Maiden for two-year-olds. Sam Hitchcott was onboard the winner who tracked the leaders on the rail, going through a gap on the rail inside the final 200metres and charging home by five lengths from Na Eeem.

“He was very professional: jumped, travelled, switched leads, I was very impressed,” said Hitchcott after his third winner of the season. “He’s bred for this and will get further, so we’ll take it one step at a time. There’s still room for him to tighten up and strengthen up, which will come with racing.”

Gray Boss overcame a wide draw in 12 for a come from behind victory on debut in the 1400metre Arabian Adventure Maiden for three-year-olds and upwards. It was a determined effort from Bhupat Seemar’s colt, ridden by Tadhg O’Shea, who collared long-time leader Mystery Chime inside the final 100metres, going away for a length and a half win.

Argentinian jockey William Pereyra celebrated his first Meydan winner when Shepperton Lodge showed an impressive turn of foot in the Emirates SkyCargo Handicap over 1900metres.

It was a second career win for Musabbeh Al Mheiri’s four-year-old who shot clear of his rivals in the straight, winning by nine lengths.

“I’m very happy to win my first race in Dubai. It’s my first time riding outside of Argentina and I’m excited about the rest of the season,” said the jockey. “He travelled very well and from the middle of the race, he got even better. When we got to the straight I felt as if I had a lot of horse under me.”

Pereyra and Mheiri grabbed a quick double, partnering Cupid’s Dream to another decisive win in the featured Dhs250,000 1600metre Emirates Airline Handicap.

It was a second victory for the progressive four-year-old, who took over the lead from Smart System and easily held off the closing Made In Dubai for a three and a quarter length victory.

Seven-year-old Road Bloc has always been a smart sort and Sayed Hashish and Hana Refai’s gelding picked up his fifth win in the 1200metre Emirates Holidays Handicap.

Trained by Osama Refai, he looked in danger when Border Edge threw down a challenge in the closing stages but, with the benefit of a previous run at Jebel Ali, won by one and a quarter lengths, giving Beasley a double.

There was more South American success in the closing 1600metre Emirates Skywards Handicap when Brazilian jockey Silvestre De Sousa combined with Uruguayan trainer Julio Olascoaga and Norato.

It was a first career win for Sky Racing’s four-year-old Brazilian-bred who had to wait for the gaps but stayed on stoutly once they arrived, winning by two and a half lengths from Military Artist.

“I was very pleased with the way he did it,” said De Sousa. “He was outstanding in the Parade Ring. It was a bit of a rough race, they went very hard, but he was a pleasure to ride.”