Tha'ir Strikes At Meydan

Tha'ir made a winning return to turf with a decisive victory in the 10-furlong Jaguar F Type Trophy Handicap at Meydan, UAE on Thursday, February 12.

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained five-year-old, who finished down the field in a dirt handicap at the same course on his seasonal debut on January 22, was smartly into stride and settled in fifth of the 14 runners towards the outside under James Doyle.

The son of New Approach moved up to third leaving the back straight and travelled strongly to go a close second with half a mile to race.

Tha'ir went into the lead entering the home straight, took a definite advantage and ran on well to beat Berling by a length and three quarters in 2m 2.58s, with Belgian Bill a neck back in third.

Saeed bin Suroor said: "We ran Tha'ir on the dirt last time and he really didn't handle it. We gave him a chance on that surface but, straight from the stalls, I didn't like his action on dirt.

"We switched him back to the turf and he is a different horse - he handled the ground really well.

"He won over a mile and three furlongs last year and mile and a quarter tonight. I think he might step up to a mile and a half in the future."

James Doyle added: "I am riding for the right trainer - Saeed has his horses in very good form.

"I think this was his 10th winner of the Dubai World Cup Carnival and most of them I have won on have done it pretty easily so I cannot really take much credit.

"We tried this horse on the dirt last time just to see if he would handle it and he did not take to it at all.

"Tha'ir's work has been good and we were quietly confident that he would run a good race back on turf. He was quite keen from a wide draw and I was taking him back for most of the way. I got there plenty soon enough.

"William (Buick) has ridden a lot of work on him over the last couple of weeks and he said while he is going well, keep him going."

The other Godolphin runner, Silent Bullet (Saeed bin Suroor/William Buick), ran well to finish fifth, just over two and a half lengths behind his stable companion.