Dubai // The Group 2 Balanchine Stakes, over 1,800 metres on turf, was won by L’Amour De Ma Vie, leading a French 1-2 when chased home by Flotilla.
Never far off a very steady pace under Maxime Guyon, she quickened to the front 400m out, establishing a decisive lead over her five rivals.
She ran on determinedly and had the race in safekeeping with 100m to go.
It was a first UAE winner for the jockey, as well as for the trainer Pia Brandt.
Guyon said: “I am delighted to get my first Dubai winner in such a big race. She ran a great race when caught close home three weeks ago and I think she is improving.
“Hopefully, there is more to come from her.”
The main support race, the concluding 2,000m Listed Dubai Millennium Stakes, a new race this year, was won by Godolphin’s Tasaday, ridden by Silvestre De Sousa for Saeed bin Suroor.
The jockey said: “She is a lovely filly and has shown a touch of class there to win a decent contest.”
The rest of the card was dominated by Europe.
Racing opened with a 1,400m turf handicap and the Mick Halford-trained Eastern Rules, representing Ireland, registered a second 2014 Dubai World Cup Carnival victory, winning cosily under Shane Foley.
The pair had won a 1,400m Tapeta handicap two weeks ago, and this victory was a fourth for the trainer and jockey at Meydan this year.
Foley said: “The horses have all been running well and it has been great. Hopefully, we have a few more winners to come.
“It was a good performance last time but this was a better one in a stronger race. Turf is probably his preferred surface.”
David Marnane and Fergal Lynch then combined, again for Ireland, with Elleval in a 2,000m Tapeta handicap. It was a third 2014 Carnival win for jockey and trainer with Lynch more than happy to take his time with half a dozen runners helping to set a fast early gallop.
Sticking to the rail, Lynch drove his mount through a gap 200m out and they were able to hold off the late challenge of Start Right.
Lynch said: “They went so fast early on I was in no rush and made sure he had a bit of a breather down the far side. He quickened nicely when I asked him and that was a good effort.”
The 1,600m Tapeta handicap provided the trainer Rune Haugen with his first UAE winner, with Pat Dobbs aboard Avon Pearl, who led close home.
Haugen said: “That is just great. We knew he was capable of a big run after an excellent local debut a fortnight ago. It was a great ride from Pat Dobbs and I am just delighted.”
The UK then joined in with Medicean Man winning his second 1,000m turf handicap for the trainer/jockey duo of Jeremy Gask and Harry Bentley. The pair combined to win a similar race at the end of January 2013. Conditions clearly suit.
The pace was modest for a sprint but Bentley was always happy, explaining: “He settles in his races so a slow gallop is fine. I know he quickens and battles which is exactly what he has done there.
“The runner-up closed 100m out but he has then found plenty more.”
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MATCH INFO
Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)
Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, kick-off 10.45pm
Live: On BeIN Sports HD
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How Sputnik V works
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
TUESDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court
Starting at 2pm:
Malin Cilic (CRO) v Benoit Paire (FRA) [8]
Not before 4pm:
Dan Evans (GBR) v Fabio Fogini (ITA) [4]
Not before 7pm:
Pablo Carreno Busta (SPA) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) [2]
Roberto Bautista Agut (SPA) [5] v Jan-Lennard Struff (GER)
Court One
Starting at 2pm
Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND) v Dennis Novak (AUT)
Joao Sousa (POR) v Filip Krajinovic (SRB)
Not before 5pm:
Rajeev Ram (USA) and Joe Salisbury (GBR) [1] v Marin Cilic v Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Nikoloz Basilashvili v Ricardas Berankis (LTU)
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