Golden Goal & RB Rich Lyke Me land opening rounds of Maktoum Challenge as carnival gets underway at Meydan

Golden Goal ridden by Sam Hitchcott

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Friday’s opening card of the 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival was highlighted by the first rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge, both over 1600m on the Meydan dirt track with pride of place going to the Thoroughbred version, won by Golden Goal (Dark Angel x Golden Rosie by Exceed And Excel), winning on the opening night of the carnival for the second consecutive year.

He actually established a 1400m dirt track record on the opening night last year, when it was a week later, and this was a career best effort under Sam Hitchcott, sporting the silks of Dale Brennan for Doug Watson to take the Thoroughbred Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1.

A gelded son of Dark Angel, the 8yo and Hitchcott took full advantage of their draw in stall one and disputed the lead pretty much throughout with Secret Ambition, the old adversary whom he chased home in the Godolphin Mile on the Dubai World Cup card last March.

The pair was locked in battle throughout the second half of the race, Hitchcott’s mount only stamping his authority on proceedings in the final 200m.

Hitchcott said: “I knew I had to be positive and we had a lovely posse there on the rail. Secret Ambition is a very good horse as we know so I knew we were in for a battle and my fellow has really responded well.

“It is my first Maktoum Challenge winner and a great result for everybody involved.”

RB Rich Lyke Me ridden by Adrie de Vries

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The Purebred equivalent which opened the card, over the same 1600m on dirt, the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R1was turned into a rout by RB Rich Lyke Me (Majd Al Arab x Rich Frynd by TH Richie) who was soon in front under Adrie de Vries and probably never saw any of his seven rivals thereafter.

Having just his second start for Fawzi Nass and in the colours of Victorious, who own the horse in partnership with the trainer, the 6yo entire had top class form in the US and remains unbeaten in the UAE having posted an equally emphatic success in the 1400m Group 2 Bani Yas on his local debut 57 days ago.

HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of HM the King for Humanitarian Works and Youth Affairs explained that “the victory will be a source of motivation to accomplish further successes in international events, praising the prominent role of trainer Fawzi Nass in forming the ideal environment for the horse ahead of the event.”

De Vries said: “We had a perfect draw and he was always travelling very strongly and was happy out in front.

“I was able to give him a breather on the home turn and then he kicked for home when I asked. He is a classy horse.”

Source: Emirates Racing Authority