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| Rowan Anderson |
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Sharjah closed out the year of UAE racing with a six-race card, highlighted by the GCC Cup which saw a race-to-race riding double partnered with trainer in a great way to cap off the year.
Brazilian hoop Bernardo Pinheiro rode the first two winners on the card for trainer Majed Al Jahoori
The opening race on the card was a 1200m maiden set for 3YO colts and geldings and Pinheiro rode the Mahabb-Amira colt home for a 1.25 length win after gaining the lead with 350 metres left to run in the journey.
Ran on strongly for Yas Racing and Majed Al Jahoori in a massive step up from his only previous start when very keen, leading for 1000m before fading in a 1400m Al Ain maiden 57 days ago.
Over the same course and distance, the fillies’ equivalent followed and the trainer and jockey partnership backed up with homebred debutante Asmaa Al Wathba who held control winning by 1.5 lengths.
The Af Albahar filly looked strong throughout when hitting the front at the halfway point flying the flag for Al Wathba Racing.
Jockey Antonio Fresu added a double himself including the feature run over the 1700m, and on-board ES Abu Mousa who gained on the pack leaders in the final 250m to take the win.
An hour earlier, in the Sharjah Electricity Water and Gas Authority Handicap Fresu broke through on Al Zafy for the colt’s maiden and taking the lead and storming home with 50m left to run.
The final UAE race of the year was also the only Thoroughbred event on the card run over 1200m it was the 7YO gelded son of Oasis Dream, Miqyaas coming away with the win.
Ridden by Oscar Chavez as his third victory for the season in a half a length win it was an impressive win however close for trainer Rashed Bouresly and the Bouresly Racing Syndicate.
It makes two wins for the gelding after breaking his maiden in Meydan on March 2020.
By Rowan Anderson.