Thegreatcollection will be in contention at Meydan. Erika Rasmussen for The National
Thegreatcollection will be in contention at Meydan. Erika Rasmussen for The National
Thegreatcollection will be in contention at Meydan. Erika Rasmussen for The National
Thegreatcollection will be in contention at Meydan. Erika Rasmussen for The National

Doug Watson targets third Listed Dubai Creek Mile with trio in race


Amith Passela
  • English
  • Arabic

Doug Watson is triple handed in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile as he bids for the top prize for the third time.

The seven-time UAE champion trainer won the prize with Stunned in 2018 and Thegreatcollection 12 months ago. This time, he is well-represented in the 11-runner field at Meydan on Thursday.

Thegreatcollection is among that trio and will be ridden by Pat Cosgrave. The seven-year-old gelding by Saint Anddan didn’t win again last season but he did finish runner-up in the first two rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge and fourth in the third leg, which was enough to earn him a starting spot in the Dubai World Cup where he was seventh.

Watson’s stable jockey Pat Dobbs partners Midnight Sands, a six-time winner after eight visits to Meydan.

He won the Group 3 Burj Nahaar on Super Saturday but disappointed in the Godolphin Mile on Dubai World Cup night.

Racecard

6.35pm: The Madjani Stakes – Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m 

7.10pm: Evidenza – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,200m 

7.45pm: The Longines Conquest – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 2,000m 

8.20: The Longines Elegant – Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 

8.35pm: The Dubai Creek Mile – Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m 

9.30pm: Mirdif Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,400m 

10.05pm: The Longines Record – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,900m  

The trainer’s third runner, Golden Goal, is the mount of Sam Hitchcott. He broke the 1,400m dirt track record, which still stands, when winning a carnival handicap in January.

He was fourth to Midnight Sands on Super Saturday, and was in front of his stable companion when an excellent second in the Godolphin Mile.

All three are making their seasonal debuts and first start since the Dubai World Cup meeting. That means they have been off the track for 264 days.

“All three are in really good shape and go there ready for a run but it is a shame I could not split them up instead of having to run them against one another,” Watson said.

“They will all improve from the run but this is a good spot to get their seasons started albeit, unfortunately, in the same race.”

As the only thee year old in the contest, Panadol receives weight from his 10 rivals.

The Salem bin Ghadayer-trained Flatter colt only made his debut in the middle of February, storming home to an easy victory in a 1,600m dirt maiden.

“Panadol has done very well over the summer but, as you would expect, he is taking on some good, tough horses and racing against his elders for the first time,” Bin Ghadayer said.

“His training has been very good so it will be interesting to see how he goes and we are very much looking forward to running him.”

The Group 3 Madjani Stakes, the only race for the Purebred Arabians, opens the seven-race card meeting.

Abdallah Al Hammadi is enjoying a superb season and has a trio entered - Winked, Goshawke, winner of the 2,200m Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 in 2019, and Hameem.

The last named is the choice of Cosgrave and is unbeaten after seven starts. However, the four year old is making his dirt debut having been campaigned solely on the Abu Dhabi turf thus far, culminating in victory on his only previous outing this season in the 1,600m Group 3 National Day Cup.

The specs

Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8

Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm

Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km

Price: Dh380,000

On sale: now 

Profile of VoucherSkout

Date of launch: November 2016

Founder: David Tobias

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers

Sector: Technology

Size: 18 employees

Stage: Embarking on a Series A round to raise $5 million in the first quarter of 2019 with a 20 per cent stake

Investors: Seed round was self-funded with “millions of dollars” 

A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
  • 2018: Formal work begins
  • November 2021: First 17 volumes launched 
  • November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
  • October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
  • November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
The biog

Hometown: Cairo

Age: 37

Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror

Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing

Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

How to volunteer

The UAE volunteers campaign can be reached at www.volunteers.ae , or by calling 800-VOLAE (80086523), or emailing info@volunteers.ae.

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Neo%20Mobility%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20February%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abhishek%20Shah%20and%20Anish%20Garg%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Logistics%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Delta%20Corp%2C%20Pyse%20Sustainability%20Fund%2C%20angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Operation Mincemeat' 

Director: John Madden 

 

Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton

 

Rating: 4/5

 

Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford

Schedule
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ENovember%2013-14%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20World%20Youth%20Jiu-Jitsu%20Championship%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENovember%2015-16%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbu%20Dhabi%20World%20Masters%20Jiu-Jitsu%20Championship%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENovember%2017-19%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20World%20Professional%20Jiu-Jitsu%20Championship%20followed%20by%20the%20Abu%20Dhabi%20World%20Jiu-Jitsu%20Awards%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?

The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.

A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.

Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.

The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.

When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.

PROFILE

Name: Enhance Fitness 

Year started: 2018 

Based: UAE 

Employees: 200 

Amount raised: $3m 

Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors 

The biog

Name: Fareed Lafta

Age: 40

From: Baghdad, Iraq

Mission: Promote world peace

Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi

Role models: His parents 

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Racecard

6.35pm: The Madjani Stakes – Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m 

7.10pm: Evidenza – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,200m 

7.45pm: The Longines Conquest – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 2,000m 

8.20: The Longines Elegant – Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 

8.35pm: The Dubai Creek Mile – Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m 

9.30pm: Mirdif Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,400m 

10.05pm: The Longines Record – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,900m  

Updated: December 15, 2021, 2:24 PM`