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| Rowan Anderson |
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Highlighted by the Jebel Ali Stakes Prep, Jebel Ali held a six-race card on Saturday night with a training treble and jockey double being clocked up.
The prep race is run over 1800m, 150 shorter than the Listed race itself held at the end of February, won last season by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s Lost Eden.
Quality Humour won the first race on the card, breaking his maiden after finishing runner up his last three starts and having debuted in November last year.
Ray Dawson had piloted him six of his eight career starts and over the 1400m here repaid the trust from trainer Ahmad bin Harmash.
In the colours of Sultan Ali Dawson took the 3YO to the front taking the lead in the final 400m and riding it out to win by a massive 7.5 lengths.
“He has just improved all season and is a bigger, stronger and more mature horse now. We are hoping he will be a carnival horse with further progression,” Dawson said.
Trainer Doug Watson was the main event for the card bagging a winning trainer treble with the first leg not taking long but taken in race two, the Af Shafar Investment Handicap.
The Shadwell 6YO Fanaar won by a handy 3.5 lengths making it two wins in a row for the gelded son of Dark Angel.
Dane O’Neil was retained from the winning start last month to partner Fanaar and showed why he was the man for the job looking comfortable throughout the trip.
Once hitting the lead with 150m remaining of the trip the partnership held control adding to trainer Watson’s 15 wins for the season so far.
“He has always been a nice horse and has run plenty of good races. It was a nice 28 days since that first win for us which was ideal, and he deserved that win a month ago. He loves it here at Jebel Ali so will look for something here, but we also have the option of the 1200m turf straight at Meydan,” Watson said.
Race three and four added consecutive card wins for the trainer rounding out the treble for the card.
The Bin Dasmal Contracting Handicap (race four) was won by Colour Up backing up from breaking his maiden in Meydan 16 days ago.
With Patrick Dobbs on board again tracking the leaders he left it until the final 150m before asking the question of the 4YO son of Mehmas hitting the lead and chasing down leader and eventual runner up Meshakel.
“This looked a good spot to try and get him a carnival rating which we have hopefully achieved and there is a handicap at Meydan in a month hopefully. It was not ideal running him back so quickly but there was nothing else for him,” trainer Watson said.
“Hopefully he can go to the carnival and perhaps come back here for the Jebel Ali Sprint later on.”
Completing Watson’s training treble and Dobb’s riding double was in the Jebel Ali Stakes Prep (race four) with the 5YO Lost Eden.
Dobbs always looked confident and settled in midfield, on the rail, before edging closer, approaching the final 500m and hitting the front just over 200m out.
Once leading the race was over with the gelded son of Sea The Stars holding control under Dobbs.
“He is better over 1950m so that was very pleasing on his first run back since the end of February and under a penalty. The Jebel Ali Stakes looks the ideal next target then we can look at Meydan and the carnival,” Watson said.
By Rowan Anderson