Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid al Maktoum

Michael Costa may be a new name to some European readers, but he is not new to success. The Australian trainer has switched his home of Surfers Paradise for the stunning views of the Dubai skyline. A life-changing move, both personally and professionally, he flew his wife Melanie and four children 12,000km across the Indian Ocean and for the last 18 months has been based at Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's private stable of Jebel Ali. It must be said that he has made an eye-catching start: with 19...

4th-Meydan, AED165,000, Maiden, 3yo, 1600m, 1:39.07, ft. MESHTRI (c, 3, Medaglia d'Oro--Clothes Fall Off {MSW & MGSP, $485,860}, by Daaher) made the most of his belated racetrack debut to score by a hard-fought half-length. Spearing through to lead shortly after the break, the bay was overtaken by Nevershow Weakness (Lord Nelson) underneath him and was content to take the sit for the in-form James Orman. Asked to come after the front-runner as they turned into the straight, Meshtri drew on even terms with about 300 metres to travel and just...