Typically competitive action at Al Ain today
AL Ain:seven races at Al Ain on Saturday with a 2000m conditions contest arguably the pick of the Purebred Arabian action with 13 declared including Haroon, seemingly heading a sextet of runners due to be saddled by Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
The mount of Ray Dawson, the 5yo entire, homebred by the Royal Cavalry of Oman, will be having just his sixth career start, seeking a second victory having won the 2200m UAE Derby on the Abu Dhabi turf last March. His second career start was a respectable third when staying on well over 1600m in an Al Ain maiden so the surface appears fine and he clearly stays well.
For the same trainer, Champion Jockey Tadhg O’shea partners Rajel Al Cham, having just his second career start having been well beaten on debut, on the Abu Dhabi turf, in the 1600m Listed Abu Dhabi Championship.
However, Satam Muscat, the mount of Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, may be a stronger candidate from the Al Hadhrami contingent. He is owned by Naser Askar, as is Smoke N Thunder, representing Antonio Fresu and Musabbeh Al Mheiri, the pair having combined for a winner at Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
The Helal Alalawi string are hiting full gear, celebrating an Abu Dhabi double, and he saddles Maador, winner of his only start to date, a maiden over 1800m here at Al Ain under apprentice Connor Planas. That was a fortnight ago and he was impressive, staying on strongly. Bernardo Pinheiro will be in the saddle on this occasion.
Planas, meanwhile, is aboard debutant Aiman for Qaiss Aboud. Abdallah Al Hammadi and Al Ajban Stables have enjoyed an awful lot of Al Ain success in recent years and are doubly represented, Richard Mullen riding On Cue for them with Dane O’neill aboard Guvnor. Neither can be ruled out in a fascinating contest.
The only Thoroughbred race on the card is a 2600mhandicapforwhichninehavebeendeclared of which the Doug Watson-trained Meqdam is the only previous course winner.
A 7yo gelded son of Dubawi, he won his final start last season in March, over 3200m on his only previous Al Ain appearance and has also won at both Meydan, a handicap over 2200m and an 1800m Jebel Ali maiden. All three career victories have been recorded since joining Watson and he normally runs well fresh so his 330 days absence is not a major concern. Pat Dobbs rides.
Bridesman, to be partnered by O’shea, represents Bhupat Seemar and makes a quick return to action having beaten just two of seven rivals in a 1600m Jebel Ali handicap just last Saturday.
He remains a maiden ater only six starts and is tackling a trip further than 1900m for the first time.
Salem Bin Ghadayer saddles two with Royston Ffrench aboard Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s Atribution, a 1950m Jebel Ali winner in the middle of January last year but not seen in public since late February 2022.
Hisstablecompanionseyaasiisownedbysheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum whose retained jockey Jean Van Overmeire is in the saddle. The 4yo opened his account on his latest start, a 1900m maiden at Meydan, at the beginning of December.
Fresu actually celebrated a big race double at Abu Dhabi on Thursday and partners Graffiti Master for Al Mheiri. Fresu’s mount was runnerup, over 1400m, on his only previous trip to Al Ain but his only career success, in September 2017, was over 2000m and he was beaten just a neck over 2200m at Meydan as recently as late November. He looks well worth trying over this longer distance.