Heart Of Honor rises to the mark at Meydan

Jamie Osborne could have a Dubai World Cup contender on his hands after Heart Of Honor stormed home to claim some notable scalps in The Entisar Sponsored By Emaar.

A dual-winner in Dubai last winter before going on rattle the crossbar in a trio of valuable events, including the UAE Derby, Heart Of Honor then headed to America to contest both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

He made a winning return to Meydan late last month, but won his first stakes contest in the Middle East in determined style, roaring home in the hands of Saffie Osborne following his typical slow start to see off the likes of Artorius (second) and last year’s World Cup fourth Walk Of Stars (fourth).

“Never in doubt,” quipped Osborne after the last-gasp nature of the Listed success.

“I was dying a death down the back, but he shows how tough he is, how much he wants it and how well he stays, all credit to him. It was a big step up for him and the dream is still alive.

“The arbiter of these things (improvement) is the racecourse and he has shown tonight that is probably the case.”

In the feature turf race, it was another victory for Charlie Appleby in the Group Two Al Rashidiya Sponsored By Emaar, as Opera Ballo served a real reminder of his class with a destructive performance.

The dual Listed winner led home a Moulton Paddocks one-two-three in the hands of William Buick, with stablemates Nations Pride and First Conquest filling the podium spots.

Appleby said: “His biggest challenge is himself once he’s in those gates and there was pace in the race so William was just able to get him in behind a horse and teach him to settle.

“He’s a hard horse as at home he’s horizontally laid back and he’s just a different beast you turn up at the races with. The team at home have done a great job and William obviously had a lot of confidence to get him buried in behind a couple there and we saw the Opera Ballo we hoped to see.

“He’s entitled to come forward from that and I would imagine the most natural place to go now is the Jebel Hatta and then hopefully see if we are good enough to be a World Cup night horse.”

Appleby and Buick had already been on the scoreboard with Mysterious Night, who made a winning return to the Middle East to take the Listed Business Bay Challenge Sponsored By Emaar.

Placed in Group contests here at Meydan earlier in the year, she was given a fine power-packed ride from Buick to edge out Khanjar, with old foe Marbaan back in third.

Appleby said: “His homework had been good and as we know he’s been a consistent old horse around here without really getting his head in front, so when William gave him the office, I did think ‘right, here’s his chance to go and do it’.

“Full credit to horse and jockey and also to the team out here for getting him fit and ready.

“I was confident he was fit coming into this but you also can’t beat a race under your belt and I think there might be a little bit more to come. It will be interesting to hear what William says as to whether we stick to this trip or step up for the Zabeel Mile.”

Appleby and Buick were also on the scoreboard with By The Book in the Dubai Racing Club Classic Sponsored By Emaar, while Buick also successfully partnered Simon and Ed Crisford’s Cover Up in a fine four-timer on ‘Fashion Friday’ in the Listed Ertijaal Dubai Dash Sponsored By Emaar.