By Kelsey Riley
Mouheeb (Flatter) was a $400,000 selection at last June's OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds In Training, and started out with plenty of expectation riding on his shoulders being a full-brother to the GII Swale S. scorer and GI Champagne S. and GI Malibu S.-placed Favorable Outcome (Flatter), and a half-brother to the listed-winning and multiple graded placed Bellamentary (Bellamy Road). Mouheeb got off the mark on debut on Dec. 18 in a Jebel Ali maiden before finishing a head second to Godolphin's dual winner Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial on Jan. 14, and went one better in his stakes debut in Thursday's G3 UAE 2000 Guineas. Breaking on the rail under Ryan Curatolo, Mouheeb was content to let Meshakel (Ire) (Shamardal) set the tempo, with Godolphin's top-rated Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire} splitting them. About three lengths separated the trio as they ran into the bend, with Mouheeb poised three wide upon straightening. Mouheeb came with a sustained rally under a drive down the middle of the course, and though he may have given his backers a few anxious moments, he reeled in a game Meshakel in the dying strides to win by a neck. Naval Crown stuck on for third, 6 3/4 lengths clear of the remainder of the field.
Curatolo, who was riding his first winner at Meydan, said, “This win means everything to me, I want to thank god, and the connections. The horse proved that he was the best today. He is a very talented horse, and last time we almost got there. He is a bit inexperienced, but he is getting better with time. The trainer did a very good job with him and his rider in the morning did a good job as well, because he can be quite difficult. Today he was more relaxed before the race, and that was good. This is a super special moment for me tonight, I am very pleased for the people who gave me the opportunity, and hopefully I can maintain that. I think this horse can go a bit longer, and his trainer will see what is best for him.”
Pedigree Notes
Mouheeb is the sixth foal out of the Listed Finger Lakes Juvenile Fillies S. winner Shananies Song (Eltish), who had previously produced the aforementioned Favorable Outcome and Bellamentary, and who has a 2-year-old filly by Gun Runner and a yearling son of Candy Ride (Arg).
Thursday, Meydan, Dubai
UAE 2000 GUINEAS SPONSORED BY HAMDAN BIN MOHAMMED CRUISE TERMINAL-G3, $125,000, Meydan, 2-4, 3yo, 8f, 1:36.46, fs.
1–MOUHEEB, 126, c, 3, by Flatter
1st Dam: Shananies Song (SW-US, $158,270), by Eltish
2nd Dam: Shananies Presence, by Shananie
3rd Dam: Presenting, by President (Fr)
1ST STAKES WIN. ($400,000 2yo '20 OBSJUN). O-Sheikh
Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Charles T. Matses (KY);
T-Nicholas Bachalard; J-Ryan Curatolo. $75,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-2-1-0, $96,805. *Full to Favorable Outcome, GSW &
MG1SP-US, $215,059; 1/2 to Bellamentary (Bellamy Road), SW
& MGSP-US, $216,200. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Meshakel (Ire), 126, c, 3, Shamardal–Mehronissa (GB) by
Iffraaj (GB). (500,000gns Ylg '19 TAOCT). O/T-Salem Rashid
Ghadayer; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE). $25,000.
3–Naval Crown (GB), 126, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Come Alive (GB),
by Dansili (GB). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby.
$12,500.
Margins: NK, 3 3/4, 6 3/4. Also Ran: Grand Dubai (Ire), Zhou Storm (GB), Uncle Hamed.
Click for the Racing Post result. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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