Emirati trainer, Musabah al Muhairi and stable jockey, Wayne Smith, dominated proceedings at Jebel Ali last season and look set to kick off the new term at the track in the same vein tomorrow (Friday) with leading chances in four of the six races on the card.
Jebel Ali’s opening meeting is the first of 57 held at five racecourses across the UAE for the 2013/14 race season, with racing also scheduled at Sharjah, Meydan, Abu Dhabi and, for the first time, Al Ain.
Tomorrow’s featured 1000m handicap, sponsored by Shadwell, the UK arm of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s breeding operation, has attracted eight declarations and Smith rides Muarrab for the sponsor.
Smith said: “We had a great time at Jebel Ali last season and most of our horses just seem to love both the surface and the hill. Muarrab fits into that category and should run well.
“We also have Kanaf in the race, he too likes the track and both are going well at home. Our third runner, Firestreak, acts on the track and should also run a good race.”
Kanaf will be ridden by Dane O’Neill, riding for his main employer, Sheikh Hamdan.
It looks a competitive race. The 2011 Jebel Ali Sprint winner, Spin Cycle is set to represent trainer Satish Seemar with stable jockey Richard Mullen in the saddle. The horse has not won since that Listed success, over the same 1000m course and distance, but Mullen sounds hopeful of a big run. “He has been working very well and we are pleased with him at home,” said Mullen. “We took him to Jebel Ali the other day and he seems in great form. He has come down the weights a bit now and hopefully can bounce back to something like his best.”
Another coming down the weights is Dohasa, the mount of UAE Champion Jockey, Tadhg O’Shea who said: “He acts on the track which is obviously a plus and if able to recapture his old sparkle he would have a decent chance in a competitive race.”
The weights are headed by Roicead, trained on the track by Dhruba Selvaratnam and to be ridden by promising British apprentice Thomas Brown with Oasis Dancer representing the always-respected Doug Watson and Pat Dobbs combination.
The next most valuable race on the card is the second, a 1600m handicap and again Al Muhairi and Smith appear to hold leading claims, this time with Interpret, a course and distance winner who will be having only his sixth career start.
“He is only five and is hopefully still improving with racing and experience,” said Smith. “It is a tough little race so it should give us some indication as to whether he is on the upgrade. His work has been good and we expect him to go close.”
Smith was also quite bullish about his chances in the 1000m maiden in which he rides the Al Muhairi-trained Daar Rashid. He said: “He showed plenty of speed last season and we know he handles the track. The trip should be ideal for his first run back but there are some interesting newcomers in the race who could be anything.”
Those making their debut include the Watson-trained duo of Vermeer and Diwaan, with Dobbs choosing to ride the former, suggesting he is the stable’s main hope.
Frobisher, for Seemar and Mullen is another making a belated first trip to the racecourse, as is Trippetrappe, a rare Thoroughbed runner for Majed Al Jahouri.
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