Brotherly Love, Labwah and Grab secure Kentucky points; Al Nayyir wins

British trainer Jamie Osborne loves an overseas jaunt, and he could be set for the biggest race in America after Brotherly Love won the Listed Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby [formerly Al Bastakiya] at Meydan Racecourse on Friday.

There was drama before the 1900-metre contest, which carried 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner for the first time, when favourite Salloom burst through the gates and was scratched.

The remaining 11 runners went a good pace early on which played to the strengths of Brotherly Love, who was cajoled throughout by Saffie Osborne.

She got there with plenty in hand, however, her mount finding a lot close home and beating Duke Of Immatin by two lengths. In doing so he went one better than his half-brother, Heart Of Honor, who was second in this race a year ago.

Al Nayyir is spending his fifth winter at Meydan with a third trainer but he picked up his first Dubai win since 2023 in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy.

Now handled by Newmarket-based Tom Clover, the eight-year-old had been off the track since August but made light of that here under Rossa Ryan, collaring favourite Sunway in the straight and charging to a half-length win.

This 2810-metre turf contest gives automatic entry to the 3200-metre G2 Dubai Gold Cup on World Cup day, the next port of call for the gelding.

“I think he just got a gallop,” said Ryan. “I thought his York run behind Trawlerman was the best form on paper. He settled really well down the pack and I tracked up Pat Dobbs [on Kihavah] and it opened up lovely.

Ryan was completing a double, having earlier guided Dividend to success in the 1900-metre Touch The Future Handicap – the gelding’s second win in a row.

Trained by Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole, the Lord Glitters Handicap winner was positioned perfectly on the rail and was in the ideal spot to strike when they turned in, beating Masai Moon and War Socks by a length and a quarter and a length and three quarters.

“If they were all like that it would be easy!” said Ryan. “He got a great turn of foot and he knows how to use it. We didn’t go much of a gallop but he’s deadly around here.

“He’s probably a horse who will be very good over fast ground and who is ready to step into Stakes company. He’ll get a mile and a quarter [2000metres] well now.”

50 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points were up for grabs in the G3 UAE Oaks and Labwah has connections who might just pursue that dream.

Ridden by Bernardo Pinheiro, as she was when winning the Cocoa Beach Stakes on her previous start, the Charlatan filly was given an easy lead and never looked in danger, powering away for a seven and a half length win over Yuno.

“She broke well and I got into a good pace, everything went very well,” said Pinheiro, riding his 37th winner of the season and 190th in the UAE. “Thank you to the whole team who put a lot of work in – I’m glad to be a part of it.

“I got a soft lead, to be honest, but she has a wonderful mind – she sits, relaxes, does everything I ask. She has a bright future as she’s proved she stays the distance. It will be interesting to see how far she goes.”

“She’s out of a middle-distance dam and a ten-furlong stallion so the distance was an advantage for her – we came here confident,” said trainer Salem Bin Ghadayer after his third UAE Oaks win.

On whether the filly will pursue the Kentucky Oaks or face colts in the G2 UAE Derby, he said: “I will go back to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan [Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, owner] as she was his pick from the breeze-up sale. I will ask him what he wants to do, but she is ready for both options.”

It turned into an excellent night for Sheikh Hamdan when his Fairy Glen won the G2 Balanchine Stakes [sponsored by Al Tayer Motors] in the hands of Mickael Barzalona.

Blue Nazare was sent off favourite for the 1800-metre fillies and mares contest but she pulled her chance away early on and faded fast in the straight. Fairy Glen was stepping down in trip and got home better than the closing Riyabovka, winning by half a length for trainers Simon and Ed Crisford.