The championship winning combination of trainer Satish Seemar and jockey Ted Durcan continued a remarkable week when they dominated last Sunday's opening meeting at Abu Dhabi.
Seemar collected the Nashwan Award for Trainer of the Year at last Wednesday's annual Awards evening in Dubai, and showed at Friday's meeting at Jebel Ali and Sunday's at Abu Dhabi that he is highly favoured to successfully defend that title at the end of the 2000/2001 season.
The double at Jebel Ali was followed by a winning treble at Abu Dhabi and while Seemar welcomed the three winners it was the brilliant return to form of one of last season's top Purebred Arabian, Mushaagib, that proved to be the most satisfying.
Ted Durcan, winner of the inaugural Steve Cauthen Award for riding excellence during the 1999/2000 season missed out at Jebel Ali however he was back in luck at Abu Dhabi riding Lancewood and Mushaagib to success.
Seb Sanders broke through for his first winner in the Emirates at the Jebel Ali meeting and it didn't take him long to secure his second, winning on his first ride at Abu Dhabi aboard Stavanger, owned by Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.
Stavanger was the second choice of the owner with Ted Durcan opting for Corunna however it was Sanders who secured a dream run along the inside, a ground saving move which meant the difference between victory and defeat.
The strength of Zabeel Stables for the 2000/2001 season is highlighted by the fact that the five winners over the two meetings were ridden by three different jockeys, Gavin Birrer riding the two at Jebel Ali and Sanders and Durcan sharing the winners at Abu Dhabi.
What also would have been pleasing to Seemar was the return to form of the former Godolphin runner King Sound.
King Sound made his first Emirates appearance in during the 1997/1998 season but was unplaced in both appearances, behind Nabhaan in the Listed Maktoum Challenge and behind Stowaway in the inaugural Dubai Turf Classic, now the Dubai Sheema Classic.
He missed all of the following season but returned for Seemar in 1999/2000 but was well back in all his six runs.
His second to Lancewood showed that he can still be quite competitive and there may be a race for him during the season.
Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed secured the Alanudd Award for Owner of the Year last Wednesday evening, Mushaagib's form during 1999/2000 playing a major role in securing that honour for his owner.
Mushaagib won six of his eight starts during his first season in 1999/2000 but was slightly disappointing when resuming last start, finishing unplaced behind Ezil.
However, dropped back to a more favourable sprint trip Mushaagib continued his superiority over Hafid du Bac to defeat that horse by a length and a quarter.
As expected, Mushaagib was tapped for speed in the early stages however he quickly asserted his superiority in the final stages to overhaul Hafid du Bac with the Richard Hills-ridden Iska Al Mels in third.
Willie Ryan continued his good early season form combining with trainer Yancey Carter to win aboard Sadiq in the Maiden restricted to Purebred Arabians bred in the Emirates.
It was also the first leg of a winning double for Carter, the trainer sending out the final winner Jawhara, ridden by Gordon Power, who narrowly defeated the Durcan-ridden Ela-Alwadaa, thereby denying that jockey with a winning treble and Seemar a four timer.
