Just Call Me, the highest priced horse ever bought at public auction in the United Arab Emirates, completely justified her high price tag with an explosive performance on her debut at Nad Al Sheba on Thursday night.
Just Call Me, a New Zealand-bred filly by Blues Traveller, topped the inaugural Pearls of Dubai Auction on October 7th falling to the final bid of Dhs2,000,000 (approx US$543,400) and purchased by Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.
The Pearls of Dubai Auction is a sale comprising 55 Southern Hemisphere-bred three-year-olds, graduates of which are eligible for the Dhs1,000,000 Pearls of Dubai Sales Graduate Stakes over 1,800m on the dirt at Nad Al Sheba however there are larger targets in mind for the filly.
It was a night to remember for Sheikh Rashid as he went from successful owner to jockey by the end of the programme, the seventh and final event of the meeting, run just after midnight, saw him ride his first winner as an amateur jockey.
Ironically the horse he rode, Martello Tower, is owned by his younger brother Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, who rode Descendent into second place. 'We would like to keep her lightly raced leading up to the Pearls of Dubai because we believe she can develop into a Group Three or Group Two filly and we may take her to England.'
'We expected that, she has done everything right since the sale and she is a very good filly.'
Just Call Me went to the front at the top of the straight and cleared right out to defeat stablemate Pikachu by nine lengths with Great Horse four and a half lengths away third.
'What was particularly impressive about her effort was that she settled very well and I didn't have to ask for much and she quickened very nicely,' said winning rider Ted Durcan.
'She did everything right and there is no doubt she will improve on that.'
Just Call Me was eased down on the line and a guide to her effort can be drawn from the following event won by Asood, also owned by Sheikh Rashid. Her winning time for the 1,600m on the dirt was 1:40.02, a tenth of a second faster than Asood took over the same distance on the turf.
While the Pearls of Dubai Stakes is the obvious target for Just Call Me an interesting situation could arise as that race is on the same programme as the inaugural UAE 1000 Guineas.
Asood was ridden by Seb Sanders who made it three meetings in succession where he has ridden a winner while Billy Newnes secured his first win in Dubai when riding the Purebred Arabian Keep Goin to victory, denying Sheikh Rashid of the first three winners on the card when his Fine Fellow finished second.
Ramp and Rave, winner of the 1999 Nad Al Sheba Sprint under Gary Stevens, resumed in the feature sprint on the programme but after looking the winner at the 200m he was outbattled in the run to the line by Mutamayyaz, ridden by Willie Supple.
Ironically Supple was the regular rider of Ramp and Rave when associated with the DhrubaSelvaratnam stable prior to this season and picked up the ride on Mutamayyaz after Richard Hills opted for Moonis.
Supple made it an immediate double in the following event when riding Rasin to success in the staying event on the evening.
