Leading UAE trainer Mazin Al Kurdi was in unstoppable form on the opening night of the Dubai Racing Carnival yesterday, sending out three winners including veteran campaigner State Shinto to win the first round of the Maktoum Challenge (Group 3) in sensational style. Al Kurdi's dominance of the six-race card surpassed another striking effort from top South African trainer Mike De Kock who claimed a double, but saw his leading fancy Victory Moon tragically beaten in the Challenge.

Rookie Kuwaiti owner-trainer Rashid Bouresly also snatched a piece of the pudding at this landmark meet when he sent out the 10-year-old Bold Demand to land the Derrinstown Stud-sponsored Elnadim International Rated Stakes.
 
Given an inch-perfect ride by Irish jockey Ryan Moore, State Shinto put his head down and rallied strongly to stave off three-race winner Tropical Star, ridden by leading jockey Richard Mullen, to win the $150,000 Maktoum Challenge by a head.

Victory Moon, last year's UAE Derby winner and the hot favourite, did not have the best of runs but ran on strongly to take third place three quarters of a length behind the winner. "This is unbelievable," said Al Kurdi, who last year won the same race with Estimraar. "I always knew the horse had ability and courage and he showed that today. He's a true champion. He may be eight years old but he had the heart of a young horse. He never gives up in a fight." Al Kurdi revealed that State Shinto would contest the second round of the Maktoum Challenge in two weeks time.

De Kock watched in disbelief as jockey Weichong Marwing struggled to extract Victory Moon from behind front-running Conflict and Fabria even as State Shinto closed the gap on the outside. But despite the ring-rusty performance of his Dubai World Cup hope De Kock was far from disappointed. "He's only 70 percent fit and he still made up four lengths in the last 50 metres," said the South African who has trained over 1,000 winners.

"Obviously this run will bring him on and for sure he has a helluva lot of improvement left. I always said that the Dubai World Cup is his main target, so we're not all that worried." Earlier Do Kock became the first overseas trainer to land a race in the inaugural Dubai Racing Carnival, when Prince of War won the Shadwell-sponsored Green Desert International Rated Stakes over 2,000 metres on the turf.

San Salvador showed his consistency when coming with a late run to beat the international challengers and land the second race of the evening, the Derrinstown Stud Stakes over 1,200 metres. The Macau challenger, Elegance Champion, partnered by Frankie Dettori, set the pace but the Al Kurdi-trained San Salvador came up with a devilish run inside the final two furlongs to win by two and a half length win. De Kock's second success came in the final race of the evening, the Derrinstown Stud Conditions race run over 1,777 metres with Crimson Palace , ridden by Marwing.

Results

* Marju (Derrinstown Stud)
Thoroughbreds 3yo+ 90-105 (1,200m) Dirt:
1. San Salvador (trined by M Al Kurdi) ridden by T Durcan; 2. Rotulo (D Lowther) M Santos ; 3. Conceal (R Bouresly) G Hind; 4. Elegance Champion (G Moore) L Dettori
Distances: 2.5length, 3, 1.
Winning time: 1min 11.10secs.
Winner owned by Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.

* Green Desert (Shadwell)
Thoroughbreds 3yo+ 90-105 (2,000m) Turf:
1. Prince of War (M de Kock) W Marwing ; 2. Lodge Keeper (N de Croutte) G Avranche; 3. Courage (J Noseda) M Kinane; 4. Shami (D Loder) J Spencer.
Distances: 1.75length, 2.75, 3.
Winning time: 2min 01.52secs.
Winner owned by Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.

* Elnadim (Derrinstown Stud)
Thoroughbreds 3yo+ 90-105 (1,400m) Dirt:
1. Bold Demand (R Bouresly) B Doyle; 2. Northern Rock (M Al Kurdi) T Durcan; 3. Royal Dignitary (D Loder) J Spencer; 4. Fardaan (J Barton) S Madrid .
Distances: 2.5length, 2.75, 0.75.
Winning time: 1min 25.24secs.
Winner owned by Bouresly Racing Syndicate.

* Maktoum Challenge (Gr 3)
Thoroughbreds 3yo+ (1,600m) dirt:
1. State Shinto (M al Kurdi) R Moore; 2. Tropical Star (A Al Raihe) R Mullen; 3. Victory Moon (M de Kock) W Marwing ; 4. Dubai Honour (D Watson) W Supple.
Distances: Hd, 0.75, 2.
Winning time: 1min 37.37secs.
Winner owned by Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.

* Alhaarth (Derrinstown Stud)
Thoroughbreds Conditions (1,777m) Turf:
1. Crimson Palace (M de Kock) W Marwing ; 2. Gateman (A Smith) B Doyle; 3. Hero's Journey (M Al Kurdi) T Durcan; 4. Landslide (P Rudkin) P Hanagan.
Distances: 4.74length, 0.5
Winning time: 1min 47.48 secs.