Course specialists, Youm Mutamiez and Kilt Rock, clash in the featured 1200m handicap on Jebel Ali’s dirt on Friday afternoon, with the pair both seeking fifth course victories up the famous hill.
A winner two weeks, ago, when part of a four-timer for his trainer, Musabah Al Muhairi, Youm Mutamiez has registered his four Jebel Ali wins over 1400m but his jockey Wayne Smith in not unduly concerned by the drop in trip.
“He has plenty of natural speed and 1200m should not be an issue; the only time he tried it before he blew the start and lost ground. He is in great form as he showed a fortnight ago and he will not be far away.”
Doug Watson trains Kilt Rock, a dual course and distance winner when landing his first four starts at Jebel Ali last season. He has not won in over a year but has been running consistently well in defeat, including a career-best third in last year’s Jebel Ali Sprint, behind his nemesis, Russian Rock.
Pat Dobbs rides in the colours of Emirates Entertainment Racing Club whose spokesman, Justin Byrne said: “He has been a star for us over the last two seasons and hopefully this is a good opportunity to get his head back in front – at least there is no Russian Rock in the field this time who has finished in front of him in each of his last five starts, winning four of them.
“Youm Mutamiez and United Color look big dangers.”
Trained on the track by Dhruba Selvaratnam for racecourse owner, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, United Color will be having his third local start having finished an excellent second to Russian Rock in a race in which Kilt Rock was third, before himself finishing third behind Youm Mutamiez over 1400m last time.
The race is generously sponsored by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum through Shadwell, the UK arm of his breeding empire and his famous blue and white silks will be worn by both Alazeyab and Murbeh, with first retained jockey, Paul Hanagan on the latter. Champion Trainer, Ali Rashid Al Raihe saddles both and the owner’s second jockey, Dane O’Neill rides Alazeyab.
Youm Mutamiez is actually one of five horses who won at the last meeting a fortnight ago which are back in action, including his stable companions, Special Boy and Suited And Booted who clash in a 1400m handicap. Stable jockey Smith sticks with the latter on whom he won over course and distance last time, with Adrie De Vries retaining the ride on the stable companion who won a 1200m handicap on the same day.
Smith said: “Both should run well and we also have Hannibal Hayes in the race who should go close also.”
Al Raihe’s Latkhaf, won a course and distance maiden two weeks ago and is in the same race.
Meanwhile, Periphery, who opened his account on the same card in an 1800m handicap, drops back to 1600m and faces nine rivals in the first of five Thoroughbred races on a card which gets underway with a 1600m conditions event for Purebred Arabians.
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