The Mazin Al Kurdi-trained Velte ran a superb race to outshine a classy field and pick up Round One of the Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Challenge for Purebred Arabians here and kick start the Carnival in style.

Ridden by Gary Hind, Velte was one of the four runners from Al Kurdi's yard and the eight-year-old grey son of Virgule Al Maury, improved upon his previous performance to score a narrow win in a tight finish.

With favourite Kaolino and other highly-rated campaigners in the form of Van Nistelrooy, Bopp Moon and Khoutoubia, Velte beat back a strong challenge from the 2001 winner Khoutoubia to win the $55,000 race.
 
Forging ahead into an early lead, Hind kept Velte right in front and half through the mile, the grey was ahead by about three lengths followed by the Allan Smith-trained Khout-oubia (Bret Doyle up) and Van Nistelrooy (Ted Durcan).Turning for the home stretch, Velte held on as Kaolino ( Richard Hills astride) seemed to be looking for the gap, while Van Nistelrooy chose to come from the outside.

Velte, who had led for most part of the race, looked good but with about 200 metres to go, the other 10-year-old grey in the fray, Khoutoubia, almost caught up and after an eye-ball contact between the greys, just put his head forward.But Velte responded to the challenge in superb style and soon Hind was riding home a well-deserved winner.

Khoutoubia was a close second while Kaolino managed to come from the inside to finish third with Van Nistelrooy in fourth.Just two lengths separated the first four in a grand finish as Najum (Richard Mullen up) led the next quartet with almost five lengths separating the two groups.The same four had finished at the top when they last met here in the Group Two Mazrat Al Ruwayah over the same distance except that on that occasion Kaolino was flying away.

However, Velte, who finished second then, exacted revenge and also brought to end the six-race winning spree of the Gillian Duffield-trained Kaolino.Bopp Moon, last year's Kahayla Classic winner, finished seventh.

Results

Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Challenge (Round 1), Purebred Arabians, sponsored by Shadwell (Sakhee), 1,600 metres:

1. Velte (Mazin Al Kurdi) Gary Hind
2. Khoutoubia (Allan Smith) Bret Doyle
3. Kaolino (Gill Duffield) Richard Hills
4. Van Nistelrooy (Al Kurdi) Ted Durcan.

Dist: 0.75L, 0.75L, 0.50L. Time: 1:47:99.