Ertijaal shines on opening night in Dubai World Cup Carnival

Ertijaal produced a blistering performance to give Jim Crowley his biggest winner since joining forces with Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum in the Longines Master Collection Handicap on the opening night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan last night.

Having been touched off in the Group One Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night, the Ali Al Rayhi-trained six-year-old showed he was more than capable of giving weight away to his rivals in a devastating display of speed under the champion jockey.

Fast out the stalls, the 8-11 favourite, who was formerly trained in England by William Haggas, quickly adopted a position at the head of the field he was to maintain all the way to the line in the five-furlong dash to claim a length and three-quarter success.