Raihana, Midshipman rebound in Dubai

Rebounding was the theme of Thursday night's action at Meydan. Sheikh

Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum's homebred RAIHANA (Elusive Quality) came back

from a disappointing fourth in the U.A.E. One Thousand Guineas to take the

$250,000 U.A.E. Oaks; Godolphin's champion MIDSHIPMAN (Unbridled's Song) moved

forward off a fourth in his seasonal reappearance in the Maktoum Challenge Round

1 (UAE-G3) to capture a conditions race; and Prince Sultan Mohammed Saud al

Kabeer's homebred DEEM (Dalakhani) relished a return to turf to get up in time

in the $200,000 Balanchine S. (UAE-G3). All three thereby strengthened their

credentials for targets on the March 27 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) card.

Bikini Babe battled on gamely and made the winner work before settling for

runner-up honors, 4 1/2 lengths clear of Guineas heroine Siyaadah (Shamardal).

Unlike the Guineas, where she exploded from the tail of the field, Siyaadah made

a steady late run without ever looking like threatening the top two. Next came

Berg Bahn (Big Bad Bob), Jodi (Matty G), Talenta (Wild Event), Mensajera de la

Luz (Election Day) and Flowers in Spring (Country Reel).

Raihana has compiled a 5-3-1-0 line. Her first two starts came in South

Africa, where she was runner-up in her debut last May and then broke her maiden

authoritatively in July. Produced by the Sunday Silence mare Esubooh, Raihana

counts multiple Australian Group 1 heroine Emancipation (Bletchingly) as her

third dam. Other notables descending from Emancipation include Australian Group

1 stars Railings (Zabeel) and Virage de Fortune (Anabaa).

De Kock saddled a total of three winners on the card. MR BROCK (Fort Wood),

most recently fourth in the February 18 Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (UAE-G3), made

the most of a stalk-and-pounce trip to bag an about 10-furlong handicap carded

as the 3RD race.

"He has quickened really nicely and settled matters in a few strides,"

winning rider Kevin Shea said of the seven-year-old gelding, who had previously

landed a handicap in fine style on February 4. "He loves this new surface and

can perhaps go up in class."

Shea later guided LUCKY FIND (Rich Man's Gold) to a narrow victory over

Vesuve (Green Tune) in the 8TH and final race, completing de Kock's hat trick in

the about one-mile affair.

With that single prep under his belt, Midshipman attempted to wire the field

in the November 7 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), but yielded grudgingly late and

was beaten all of three-quarters of a length in third. After a break, he

reappeared in the January 28 Maktoum Challenge Round 1, arguing the pace early before tiring in the

closing stages for fourth. Thursday's score improved his record to 8-5-1-1,

$1,584,600.

Midshipman, whose resume also includes a victory in the Del Mar Futurity (G1)

and a runner-up effort in the Norfolk S. (G1), was bred in Kentucky by

Stonerside Stable. The four-year-old is out of multiple Grade 2 queen Fleet Lady

(Avenue of Flags), making him a half-brother to Grade 2 heroine Fast Cookie

(Deputy Minister). This is the family of French Group 1 winner and sire Salse

(Topsider).

Bin Suroor had gotten off to a fast start by winning the opening event with

Godolphin's ANTINORI (Fasliyev), who uncorked a last-to-first rally for Ahmed

Ajtebi in the about 1 3/8-mile handicap.

Bin Suroor trainees later dominated the finish of the DRC Gold Cup, an about

two-mile conditions race on the turf. The winner did not sport the Godolphin

colors, however, but rather those of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum.

SABOTAGE (Halling) delivered a sustained charge under Mickael Barzalona to catch

Godolphin's Age of Reason (Halling) in deep stretch.

"We knew they both had a big chance and have to be pleased with the result,"

bin Suroor said.

Deem is competing at her second Dubai International Racing Carnival. In 2009,

she upset the Cape Verdi in her turf debut, but could no better than fifth in

the Balanchine and seventh versus males in the Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1).

Deem reverted to the dirt back at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia in

her past three. After winning her October reappearance and finishing second

there in December, the five-year-old was most recently fourth versus males in

the Crown Prince Cup (KSA-G2). She now sports a 10-6-1-0 mark with $284,925 in

earnings.

"She is a nice filly and one we have always held in some regard," Barton

said. "Hopefully we can get her to World Cup night as we did last year, when she

ran a great race in defeat."

The Irish-bred Deem is out of French stakes victress Hijaz (Sadler's Wells),

who is herself a full sister to French stakes winner Ballarat. Hijaz is also a

half-sister to French Group 2 scorer Crimson Quest (Rainbow Quest), Irish stakes

queen Savethisdanceforme (Danehill Dancer) and the stakes-placed Bathilde (Ire)

(Generous), the dam of Group 2-winning stayer Tungsten Strike (Smart Strike).

Multiple South African Group 1 diva Bad Girl Runs (Western Winter) also descends

from this female line.

Barton did not fare as well in the 2ND race, as So Shiny (Indygo Shiner) was

swamped late in the about six-furlong dash and relegated to seventh. STAR

CROWNED (Kingmambo) prevailed in a blanket finish for the trainer/jockey tandem

of Rashed Bouresly and Royston Ffrench.