Thursday’s racing at Nad Al Sheba reinforced the belief that Mike De Kock will be the leading trainer this year at the Dubai Racing Carnival. The South African trainer saddled the first two finishers in the UAE 2000 Guineas. John Murtagh partnered Honour Devil to victory and taking the runner-up berth was Royal Vintage. The winning margin was one half length. Honour Devil was the 7-4 joint favourite with Etched in the British betting market.

Saeed Bin Suroor had three runners in the 2000 Guineas and they took the third, fourth and fifth places. My Indy took third and Etched, as short as 16-1 for the Kentucky Derby, finished fourth.

Honour Devil’s owner, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa gave all the credit to trainer Mike De Kock. “Mike is an excellent trainer. He has done very well for us. I leave all the decisions to him.”

De Kock was restrained in his adulation of his two top finishers. “They are two very nice horses. We were quite hopeful. Royal Vintage had a wide draw and had taken time off. On the other hand, take nothing away from Honour Devil as he ran strongly when seriously challenged.”

There was another winner in Thursday’s programme emanating from De Kock’s yard. Drift Ice won the curtain raiser, a handicap.

I was unable to check Friday’s results from Janadriyah (a race track) in Saudi Arabia. Friday’s feature was the Group I King’s Cup, a 2400-metre-race on dirt. Premium Tap, running in his Saudi name, ‘Allam,’ was in the field. Premium Tap, a durable handicap horse in the US at one time, is now owned by Saudi interests. Premium Tap stretched Invasor to the limit in a duel of attrition down the stretch in the 2007 World Cup. Kent Desormeaux rides Allam.

Mick Kinane, the 2008 Indian Derby hero, is aboard Omikron in the King’s Cup.

Jockey Alan Munro rode a winner on his comeback at Mont de Marsan (race course) in France on Friday. He won the Prix Bellabre with Belcantista, trained by Luis Urbano who is Munro’s longtime friend.

On Sunday in Hong Kong, Sacred Kingdom and Absolute Champion renew their rivalry in a 1200-metre race. Sacred Kingdom was a big winner during the December festival. Subsequently, Sacred Kingdom was beaten in a 1000-metre race by Absolute Champion. The latter won by the narrowest of margins and Sacred Kingdom had been bet down to 10-1 on. These are two champion sprinters and this clash has generated worldwide excitement.