Owner Fathi Esaed Mohd Egziama, trainer Musabah al Muhairi and stable jockey Wayne Smith continue to dominate proceedings at Jebel Ali and combined to win the 1000m prep for the Listed Jebel Ali Sprint for a second year running with Russian Rock.
Their star sprinter went on to win the track’s third and final feature race last season, completing a clean sweep for connections in the process after Treble Jig had won both the Jebel Ali Stakes and Sprint. He has repeated his victories in both races already this season and Russian Rock will surely be hard to beat in the big race two weeks from now having successfully carried a penalty on this occasion to beat most of his most serious rivals in a fortnight – when he will not be penalised.
Smith was happy to track old adversary Kilt Rock until halfway when he asked his mount for a challenge, within 200m they had stormed clear and never looked likely to be caught, despite Kilt Rock refusing to give up and, to his credit, he was closing at the line.
“He produced a really good turn of foot today,” said Smith, beaming from ear to ear. “This track just brings out the very best in him and he has beaten a very useful field here as we know Kilt Rock is very good here.
“A repeat win here and again in two weeks have been his main agenda all season and there must be a chance we will then get a chance to contest one of the Dubai World Cup night sprints.”
Dhruba Selvaratnam, who trains on the track, has not enjoyed the greatest of seasons but doubled his tally and that of racecourse owner and his main patron Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum with a brace of victories in 1400m handicaps. Stable jockey James Doyle was aboard both Forjatt and Kessraa and said: “The horses have not been running badly but plenty of them are just high in the handicap after our good season last time. Most have been running well in defeat and this double is a great fillip for the whole yard and hopefully we can finish the season strongly.”
Trainer Satish Seemar and stable jockey Richard Mullen enjoyed Dubai World Cup Carnival success at Meydan with Unbridled Ocean on Thursday and continued their good season with the smooth victory of Kaiss in the concluding 1600m handicap. Mullen said: “It has been another good weekend in what has been, on the whole, a good season. Kaiss likes it here and has been in decent form so it is nice to get his head back in front.”
Qannaas won a 1600m maiden at the previous meeting for HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who generously sponsored the feature and the race won by Forjatt, and followed up in a handicap over the same course and distance. The owner’s retained jockey Paul Hanagan was in the saddle for Champion Trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
Racing opened with HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Emirates Horse Breeders’ Society Challenge, an 1800m conditions race for Purebred Arabians which was won by Sam Hitchcott on the Gill Duffield-trained Borkan Al Zaboir.
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