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| Rowan Anderson |
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Jebel Ali hosted a seven race card on Saturday afternoon with six set for thoroughbreds, highlighted by a 1400m handicap for which eight had been declared, the Emirates Airline handicap.
Doug Watson leads the trainers championship five wins clear of Bhupat Seemar as the Red Stables trainer prepared a pair of hopes in the contest with Mayaadeen and Violent Justice, with both of them winning at the tracks and distance.
Mayaadeen started as the favourite with the 8YO gelded son of Invincible Spirit owned by Shadwell and having debuted in the UAE in March 2019 registering his first local win at Meydan in January the following year.
Stablemate Violent Justice is the 4YO having raced exclusively at UAE tracks with his single career win at Jebel Ali in December 2021 having not won since.
The two stablemates finished third and second with the Ahmed Al Shemaili trained Chosen Mark taking the win by 1.75 lengths.
With 450m left to travel hoop Antonio Fresu asked for his mounts best hitting the front with about 200m remaining holding off last minute challenges for the Italian in the silks of Shoaib Ahmed Sarfaraz.
The duo were scoring over course and distance for the second time this season with the jockey impressed with the run.
“The trainer had him in top form and he was very tough when I needed him to be. He seems to save his very best for Jebel Ali and the 1400m here really suits him,” Fresu said.
The Julio Olascoaga-trained Perfect Love ran on to finish fourth only just over two lengths off the leader and should be freshened for the next start.
In the Commercial Bank of Dubai, race two, the bulk of the market was shared between two, the Michael Costa-trained Kal Barg and Talentum trained by Bhupat Seemar, with the latter taking the spoils. Under Tadhg O’Shea he looked out of his depth to crack his maiden but passed through the pack before snatching the win on the line.
In race three, the Ascana maiden, Watson saddled his 200th starter for the season with the 4YO gelded son of Wootton Bassett, Exact Order, lining up for his second career start with his first being at this track for a third place finish in December. The Sheikh Juma bin Dalmook Al Maktoum owned gelding had to settle for fifth, nearly 19 lengths of the winner.
As the hottest favourite of the card Rayig ($1.90) was in a contest for most of the trip, Shadwell handicap, travelling second for the bulk of the journey but all the way leader Razeem Dubail shook off any semblance of a challenge from the favourite to take the victory.
Royston Ffrench put in the great ride over the 1200m for Salem bin Ghadayer and Saeed Sultan Al Rahooni with the 4yo Frosted colt making it a second win for his career after breaking his maiden over the 1000m at Jebel Ali in November 2021 under Ffrench.
“He has really stuck his neck out and fought for that. It’s nice to see him back to winning ways and hopefully he can build on this now he has put his head back in front,” the hoop said.
Trainer Doug Watson strengthened his hold on top spot on the Trainer’s Championship with a win in the Al Huzaifa Furniture handicap. The 6YO gelded son of Kodiac tracked the leaders before leading 200m out and rolling on to give the top trainer the win under Pat Dobbs. The Sky Racing owned gelding made it three wins at the Jebel Ali track after debuting at the track in his first UAE run in February 2020.
Closing out the card was the Newbury Racecourse UK Handicap over 1950m worth AED $72,000 attracting a field of 10 with a $11 shot taking the spoils.
With Jean Van Overmeire and trained by former Australian based Michael Costa the 6YO gelding Waathig led throughout the journey to break his maiden after seven starts.