Dark Saffron and Mufasa Set for High-Impact Clash in the Al Garhoud Sprint

The South American standout makes his first Dubai appearance seeking a performance that propels him toward the G1 sprint on World Cup night

Chilean Star Mufasa, a Relentless Speed Merchant / DRC

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Special to Turf Diario)—Friday’s third meeting of the Dubai Racing Carnival brings a feature that carries the flavor of a much bigger race. The Al Garhoud Sprint (Listed, 1200m), sponsored by Al Tayer, lines up only seven runners, but the quality is undeniable—sprinters of contrasting profiles, proven class, and genuine star power.

The spotlight naturally falls on Dark Saffron, the sophomore who stunned the racing world in March when he scored a shock victory in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, then confirmed his upward curve with a dominant conditions win last month—both over Meydan’s 1200 meters on dirt.

Trained by Ahmad bin Harmash, the son of Flameaway returns under Connor Beasley with a new and stern challenge: meeting older horses while carrying a hefty 59.5 kilos. Bin Harmash is confident, but realistic.

“He’s doing good—he’s been training very well,” the trainer said. “The only question mark is the top weight against older horses, because he’s only three. But Dark Saffron is Dark Saffron… I think he’ll run a good race.”

Among those standing in his way is none other than Mufasa, the Chilean-bred son of Practical Joke, a triple G3 winner in the United States. Now trained by Bhupat Seemar, he showed flashes of his considerable talent when finishing sixth in the G2 Godolphin Mile on his local debut.

“We’re very excited to start him over six furlongs,” said Abdulla Muammer, Racing Manager for RRR Racing. “He’s shown a lot of speed in his work, and we feel this is the right spot to relaunch him.”

Adding depth is Colour Up, winner of this race in 2023 and fifth to Dark Saffron in the most recent Golden Shaheen. Owner Sayed Hashish believes the race is far stronger than its Label suggests.

“With the horses in here, this race probably deserves to be a Group 2,” he said. “He’s seven now but, touch wood, he’s in the strongest form we’ve seen from him. The small field should help, although the inside draw isn’t ideal because he’s not a front-runner. Still, he usually runs well fresh—this is a big race.”

With a G1-winning sophomore phenomenon, an elite Chilean sprinter seeking to ignite his Dubai campaign, and seasoned older horses tightening the screws, the Al Garhoud Sprint promises to be one of the Carnival’s most explosive moments so far. At this level, it may not remain a Listed race for very long.