Musir masters Group 2 in Meydan

Redoute’s Choice stallion Musir denied Presvis a running double in the G2 Al Rashidiya (1800m) at Meydan on Thursday evening.

Musir (Aus) shadowed front-runner Marcret before Christophe Soumillon stoked him up at the top of the straight.  He shot away to score by more than a length while Presvis, who won the 2011 Al Rashidiya by four lengths, laboured in the back half of the field.

The victory improved Musir’s overall record to 8 wins in 14 starts for owner-breeder Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum.  He was coming off a near track-record victory in Round 1 of the G3 Maktoum Challenge on January 12.

“He is my favourite horse,” Soumillon said.  “There was no pace in the race and that suited because he has such good acceleration.  We think he is better on grass than the all-weather and is a genuine Dubai Duty Free contender.”

Trainer Mike De Kock was not on course in Dubai.  He remained in South Africa to saddle up Horse of the Year Igugu in Saturday’s G1 J&B Met in Cape Town.

Musir (6h Redoute’s Choice – Dizzy De Lago by Encosta De Lago) was exported to South Africa in 2009 where he posted a Group 1 victory in the Golden Horseshoe in Durban.

He joined De Kock’s team for the 2010 Dubai carnival and he was a class above the opposition in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas and G2 UAE Derby.  He returned to the Gulf last year but finished four lengths adrift of Japanese raider Victoire Pisa in the Dubai World Cup.

Returning to De Kock’s Newmarket base in England, he was placed in the G2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury prior to an away win in the G2 Topkapi Trophy in Turkey last September.

Arrowfield champion Redoute’s Choice got him from Dizzy de Lago who was stakes placed in Adelaide.  The mare foaled a Redoute’s Choice filly in October.