RACING:Irish handler Joanna Morgan made the perfect start to the Dubai Carnival meeting as Miss Gorica landed the opening event at Nad Al Sheba.
The festival, which runs until the Dubai World Cup fixture in March, always lures a number of European trainers to set up camp in the desert and Miss Gorica bagged over €45,000 as she lifted the seven-furlong Muhtathir Stakes.
Partnered by Ted Durcan, Morgan’s charge was one of the outsiders but showed plenty of guts to fend off both Lessing and British-trained Clifton Dancer in the straight.
“I’m absolutely delighted. Her best trip is six furlongs but Ted Durcan called me and told me to enter her as there wouldn’t be many runners,” said Morgan, who previously enjoyed Abu Dhabi Listed success with One Won One in 2001.
“I had pencilled her in for a six-furlong race on January 22nd but Ted told me there wouldn’t be many running so we luckily went for this instead.
“She didn’t see that much racing last season as the weather was so bad over here and she needs fast ground so she just had a few runs on the all-weather at the backend.
“I think the slow pace today helped her get the trip but I still think six, six and a half is her best trip so those are the races we’ll be looking at.”