Ouzo eyes Lord North repeat
Dubai Racing Carnival rolls on as UK raider returns for another shot at Meydan glory
DUBAI - The connections of Ouzo will be hoping to once again raise a glass after their gelding defends the Lord North Handicap (sponsored by DP World) – the official feature on a packed Dubai Racing Carnival card on Jan 10.
Ouzo, who went on to land the Lord Glitters Handicap five weeks later, makes his first start since September here.
He will be partnered by Adrie de Vries in the 350,000 dirham (S$130,500) turf event, which has attracted a capacity field of 16.
Trainer Jamie Osborne faces additional pressure in that his wife Katie is among Ouzo’s owners The Other Club, but he reported the gelding to be in good form for his title defence.
Ouzo is a name familiar with Singapore racing fans as it was the same Greek aperitif-inspired name of the only local horse to win the Group 1 Singapore Airlines International Cup at its inaugural edition in 2000.
Trained by Malcolm Thwaites and owned by Eres Tu Stable, the Singapore champion horse retired the following year the winner of 13 races from 28 starts and more than S$4 million in stakes earnings.
The current version, a nine-year-old by Charm Spirit, has not reached the same notoriety, but is no less prolific with a record of seven wins and 10 placings from 42 starts.
Two of those wins – the Lord North and Lord Glitters – came at his only two 2024 runs in Dubai (he raced there for the first time in 2023 with less success in four starts). Osborne’s daughter Saffie – Ouzo’s regular partner in the UK – made the trip for the second Middle-East win.
“It’s great to have him back here in an attempt to retain his Lord North crown,” said Osborne.
“He’s been training well and on all known evidence, this course, distance and the Dubai air bring out the best in him.”
Osborne also runs a new recruit in See Hector, who was purchased by leading Emirati owner Malih Al Basti specifically for the Carnival.
A Group 3 winner in Germany when trained by Henk Grewe, the chestnut six-year-old by Counterattack will be ridden by Pat Dobbs.
“He hasn’t been with us very long,” added Osborne. “Friday will show us where we are with him.”
Ouzo’s rivals include last year’s runner-up Silent Film, back for a fourth Carnival for trainer Ian Williams, and the high-class Galen, gelded since finishing eighth in a Group 2 mile race at Leopardstown, Ireland in September.
The Gleneagles four-year-old lines up for multiple Group 1-winning trainer Joseph O’Brien, who is yet to win in Dubai in five shots.
Newmarket-based South African trainer Dylan Cunha runs Silver Sword, who makes a quick return, and his handler gave an honest appraisal of his chances.
“Silver Sword was disappointing last week, but got boxed in twice when he was in a good rhythm and needed to make a run, which I feel cost him,” he said.
“He’s a thinker and that was too much for him. I do feel we could have been third or fourth there.
“Friday is a lot tougher and he’s going to have to up his game to run well. He’s taken the race well and I’ve freshened him up into this week and he looks great.
“(Jockey) Ray (Dawson) has sat on him a few times over the past five weeks. So he knows him fairly well.” DUBAI RACING
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