Condor Pasa Secures a Valuable Argentine Victory on the Meydan Turf
- Turf Diario
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
The son of Orpen captured the Longines Conquest Chronograph over 1,200 meters, returning to the winner's circle in style.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Special for Turf Diario).– The latest meeting at Meydan delivered a high-voltage Friday night under the lights, serving as the perfect prelude to the upcoming Super Saturday. With a blend of local grit and international flair, the spotlight shone brightest on the Argentine-bred Condor Pasa, who regained his top form to anchor an unforgettable double for apprentice Hamed Al Busaidi.
The narrative of the night was one of persistence and tactical mastery. For Condor Pasa, the wait for a trip to the winner’s circle had stretched across two long years. Previously trained by Fawzi Nass, the son of Orpen found a new lease on life under the care of Ismail Mohammed. Contesting the Longines Conquest Chronograph Handicap (1,200m, turf), the 6-year-old showcased the typical tenacity of the Argentine Thoroughbred.
Under a confident ride by Hamed Al Busaidi, Condor Pasa tracked the pace before engaging in a fierce duel with the filly Arigatou Gozaimasu (Honest Mischief). Despite being carried outward by Bernardo Pinheiro in the closing stages, the Argentine responded generously to his rider's urgings, pulling away to win by an authoritative 2 1/4 lengths. The victory was a testament to the enduring quality of the Orpen bloodline, which continues to leave its mark on the global stage.
“I was waiting for Bernardo Pinheiro to come back to me, but his horse is a strong fighter,” said an elated Hamed Al Busaidi. “He sent me wide, but I sorted it out! It’s an amazing feeling for me; I am only the second Omani jockey to achieve a double at Meydan.”
Indeed, it was a night to remember for the young apprentice and trainer Ismail Mohammed. Earlier on the card, they had already tasted success with Ruling Dynasty (Night of Thunder) in the Longines Primaluna Handicap (1,600m, turf). The 7-year-old, formerly owned by the powerful Godolphin stable, took the "brave man's route" along the rail to deny British raider City Of Delight (City of Light) by a neck.
The evening’s main event, the Longines Spirit Pilot Flyback Handicap, saw English Oak (Wootton Bassett) confirm his status as a rising star of the Dubai Racing Carnival. Trained by Hamad Al Jehani and ridden by Danny Tudhope, the 6-year-old defied top weight to hold off a relentless charge from the Godolphin duo, Hallasan (Pinatubo) and Cavallo Bay (Pinatubo). In a photo finish, English Oak kept his head down to win by a nose, marking his second consecutive victory over the course.
Danny Tudhope also secured a double, having earlier guided Desert Horizon (Caravaggio) to his first win in the Longines Master Collection Handicap (1,900m, dirt). After seven failed attempts, the horse finally relished the step up in trip, overtaking Hidden Secret (Dubawi) in the final furlong.
The dirt track also provided its own highlights. Valdivia (Demarchelier), a confirmed course specialist for trainer Ahmad bin Harmash, reached her third Meydan win in the Longines Master Collection Moon Phase Chronograph (2,000m). Under Saif Al Balushi, she sat patiently off the early speed before unleashing a powerful closing kick to win by more than four lengths.
Meanwhile, the potent combination of Bhupat Seemar and Tadhg O’Shea was in irresistible form. They first struck with Diamond Dealer (Lord Nelson), who overcame the disadvantage of breaking from post 11 to dominate the Longines Spirit Pilot Handicap (1,600m, dirt). “He’s a good horse, but he needed to mature,” noted Tadhg O’Shea. “Now he’s won three races and is on the up.”
In that same race, the Brazilian Nam Phrik (Hofburg), representing Stud Las Monjitas and the training duo of Antonio Cintra and Julio Olascoaga, put in a solid effort to finish third.
The Seemar-O'Shea duo completed their double in the finale with Muzaahim (Speightstown), who flew from the back of the pack to take the Longines Spirit Zulu Time 1925 Handicap (1,200m).
The evening began with a thriller for Purebred Arabians, where Kayaan SB (Jabal Kassyoun), trained by Ibrahim Al Hadhrami, held on by the narrowest of margins in the Longines Conquest Purebred Arabian Handicap. The victory marked a significant milestone for jockey Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, recording his 50th win in the UAE.
