Mike De Kock and Mohammed bin Khalifa dominated the 2010 Dubai classics with their Australian bred three year-olds and they’ve begun the 2011 Meydan racing carnival in a similar vein.

Their southern bred Galileo fillies Reem and Mahbooba filled out the quinella in the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial on Thursday night.  Reem made most of the running to score by a half length over her stablemate.

Reem (4f Galileo – Al Afreet by Danehill) was trained in Australia by David Payne and had opened her account at Warwick Farm in July.  She was also a close up fifth to More Strawberries in the G2 Furious Stakes at Randwick in September.

Reem’s second dam Drama Of Life (Royal Academy) was bred by Robert Sangster and she was a half-sister to Swettenham Stud’s Group 1 winners Rodrigo De Triano and Modigliani.

Heading into carnival, De Kock made it clear Reem was his second choice but she will probably start the stable favourite for UAE 1000 Guineas on February 3.

De Kock cut a swathe through the Gulf classics last year with Musir (Redoute’s Choice) and Raihana (Elusive Quality) and he stepped up to the plate with another Aussie bred feature winner on Thursday night with Our Giant (Giant’s Causeway).

Our Giant is an older half-brother to Singapore star Rocket Man (Viscount).  With Christophe Soumillon aboard, he unleashed a sustained run on the inside to prevail by three-quarters of a length.  Our Giant’s 31 start career in South Africa includes G1 wins in the Mercury Sprint and Horse Chestnut Stakes.