Feature race win stars in Watson’s Al Ain double

AL AIN: The enigmatic Sauternes Al Maury registered his third career success for Doug Watson and Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in Al Ain’s Saturday finale, the concluding 2000m conditions contest, which was the highlight of a 7-race card.

With an official rating of 96, the 9-year-old entire was by far the one the remaining ten had to beat and he was always travelling strongly under Dane O’neill, retained by the owner. They eased to the front with about 525m remaining, immediately challenged by Salb who proved a persistent challenger until the final 150m when Watson’s charge was well on top.

Watson, completing a rapid double, said: “He was entitled to win that and it is nice to see him get his head back in front. He has always had plenty of ability, but has not always been the most straighforward. I imagine we will retire him now.”

A 2000m handicap and only Thoroughbred race on the card saw the lead changing hands several times throughout the contest. Book review for the first half, losing the initiative to Skygazer who was then passed by Falcon Claws. However, when that one’s stable companion, local and dirt debutant Pharoah King, loomed large and grabbed the lead with about 47m remaining, the race was effectively over, Pat Dobbs completing an effortless double on the 4-year-old gelded son of American Pharoah trained by Watson for Ali A Aneizi.

The curtain raiser, a 1400m maiden for 4-year-olds in private ownership, was contested by a capacity field of 15, but very few ever