Dark Saffron to Launch New Year at Meydan

An exciting eight-race card brings in the New Year at Meydan Racecourse Jan. 2, when group 1 winners Audience  and Dark Saffron  are among those in action.

The Dubawi Stakes (G3T), race five, is without defending champion Tuz , but the 1,200-meter (about 6-furlong) dirt sprint has a strong line-up of seven. Four of them met last time, when El Nasseeb  beat Colour Up , Mufasa , and Dark Saffron in the listed Al Garhoud Sprint Dec. 5.

Bhupat Seemar, trainer of Mufasa, is hopeful he will bounce back, stating circumstances went against him in the Garhoud.

"It just went wrong for him last time," he said. "Three horses (Mufasa, Rabaah, and Dark Saffron) ended up going too fast and it worked out for a horse (El Nasseeb) who was sitting in the middle. I think it could be a completely different result this time, as it was his first run and he will improve again.

"He could be the next Tuz; he could be the horse who's got speed and also the stamina for 7 furlongs."

Abdulla Muammer, racing manager to owners RRR Racing, added: "Mufasa came out of his last race in very good order. It was a messy race and nothing really went to plan, so we're happy to put a line through it. We learned a lot from that run, he's improved since, and I'm confident he can run a big race."

Dark Saffron, a son of Flameaway   who won the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) in March, also had a legitimate excuse in the Garhoud Sprint, having become upset in the stalls prior to forcing a fast pace.

"He's good," reported trainer Ahmad bin Harmash. "Last time he had problems in the gate, so if everything goes right this time, we expect a good run."

The field also features 2023 Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) runner-up Drew's Gold . Unraced in 2024, RRR Racing's son of Violence   won his last start at Meydan Dec.12 by 6 3/4 lengths, his first victory since a win in the Gold Fever Stakes in May 2023. The Dec. 12 race was his first for Seemar after previously making three starts at Meydan for trainer Julio Olascoaga.

U.S.-Breds Feature in UAE Guineas Trial

The UAE Guineas Trial has a capacity field of 16, including Lino Padrino, an impressive 4-length winner on debut over course and distance Dec. 5. Paul Ebbs, managing owner for Suited & Booted and My Future Champions Racing, is hopeful of the same again.

"In his first race, he had a wide draw and was slightly slowly away," he said, "but then on the back straight he really stretched out, which we hadn't seen him do before, so that was great to see.

"He's got explosive speed over the 7 furlongs—he does that very easily. After this, he will step up to a mile for the Guineas on Jan. 23."

Bred in New Jersey by Gina and Kelly Lupton, Suited & Booted acquired the Uncle Lino   colt at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale for $200,000 from the Twelve Toes consignment.

Of the other entrants bred in the United States, four are coming off last-out victories. Duke of Immatin, a Gun Runner   colt, broke his maiden on debut Nov. 29 going 7 furlongs at Jebel Ali Racecourse. The $425,000 yearling purchase is a half brother to stakes winner Keep It Easy  and was bred in Kentucky by Mr. and Mrs. William Pape.

KatieRich Farms bred Six Speed , a Not This Time   colt entering off a 1 3/4-length win at Meydan Dec. 5. Originally purchased for $50,000 from the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Margaret O'Toole, the colt was pinhooked at the 2025 Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale, where he was purchased by Seemar for the equivalent of $304,681.

Kentucky-breds Knight of Glory, a son of Knicks Go  , and Rakaan , a McKinzie   colt, enter off maiden victories at Lingfield Park Racecourse and Jebel Ali, respectively.

Aomori City aims to Continue Appleby Record

The Friday card's official feature is the Zabeel Mile (G2T), which has been won six times by Charlie Appleby. The Godolphin trainer has a strong contender this time in Aomori City , winner of the 2024 Vintage Stakes (G2) at Goodwood Racecourse. 

"Aomori City was disappointing in the French Guineas, and we gelded him soon after," Appleby said. "He has benefited from a nice, long break since, and we have been pleased with his preparation.

"He ran to a high level as a 2-year-old and enjoyed the turning tracks at Goodwood and Del Mar (finished third in the 2024 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf), so we are hopeful racing at Meydan will suit him well. It is a good race, with some decent older horses in the field, but he should be very competitive if he runs to his best."

The race has a group 1 winner in Audience, winner of the 2024 Lockinge Stakes (G1) at Newbury Racecourse when trained by John and Thady Gosden. The 6-year-old is now with David O'Meara, who gave an upbeat bulletin.

"We haven't had Audience that long, we got him at the (Tattersalls) Horses In Training Sale in October," he said. "Obviously, he was a very good horse for the Gosdens and Cheveley Park. His work has been good and Danny (Tudhope) has sat on him a couple of times and is happy with him.

"It's his first run for us and I'm sure we'll learn plenty about him."

The field of nine includes group 2 winner Quddwah  for Simon and Ed Crisford, a former Carnival winner in Vafortino  for Charlie Fellowes, and Karl Burke's Holloway Boy , who finished second in this race last year behind Poker Face .

The card opens with the AED300,000 Zabeel Turf over 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles), for which 14 line up, including four trained by Appleby. Arabian Light beat the reopposing Sean  over 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) in the Lord Glitters Handicap last season and looks hard to beat again, despite top weight and a wide draw in 12.

"His seasonal debut will have brought him forward," said trainer Jamie Osborne of Sean, who finished eighth over 1,800 meters three weeks ago. "I would expect a better performance this time. He's at the right end of the handicap to show those younger legs that he's still got it a day after his 9th birthday."

Rematch in the Jumeirah Stakes

The Jumeirah Stakes looks very competitive with 15 going to post over 1,400 meters (about 7 furlongs) on turf.

They include Power For Power and Do Or Do Not , first and second in a course-and-distance maiden last time. Osborne is hopeful of another good run from the latter, who makes his second start for his yard.

"He has a chance," he said. "But it looks like a strong renewal of this race, with any number of potential improvers in the field. However, we have the strongest form and he will be sharper for his Dubai debut."

Newmarket-based trainer James Owen sends out the filly Callahan, winner of a novice race at Kempton Park on her latest start in October.

"We're looking forward to having our first runners in Dubai," he said. "We're really pleased with Callahan. She won well last time out and the horse that finished second has won since.

"She's thrived and we think she's well above her current rating, on her homework. It's a tough task against the boys, but we'll see where we're at and her next two races will be against fillies only, hopefully ending up in the (Jumeirah) Fillies' Guineas."