Morawij wins Jebel Ali Sprint spoils for 2nd time

dubai — Thirteen may have gone to post for the Listed Jebel Ali Sprint on Friday afternoon but, from just after halfway, the race had developed into a duel with Morawij ultimately repeating his victory of 2016 in the 1000m dash.

The contest virtually mirrored a course and distance conditions race run four weeks ago when Morawij, trained on the Jebel Ali track for racecourse patron, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, clashed with Mushir.

However, on that occasion, Mushir, who was receiving weight, was able to lead close home but, at level weights this time, he was unable to wrestle the initiative from Chris Hayes and the Dhruba Selvaratnamtrained Morawij.

In landing this, Selvaratnam’s charge became the third dual winner of the race, a feat previously achieved by Russian Rock, in 2012 and 2013 and by Selvaratnam with Try Prospect in 1996 and 1997.

Connections were then denied a famous double when their Forjatt, victorious in the track’s biggest race of the season, the Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile, four weeks ago, had to settle for second in the 1950m Listed Jebel Ali Stakes.

Penalised for that big race victory, Forjatt and Hayes looked set to complete the brace but the Satish Seemar-trained Farrier, ridden by Richard Mullen, stayed on too strongly for them in the final 200m.

Having shown plenty of promise in four outings when trained in Ireland by Dermot Weld, Kidd Malibu made his local and dirt debut a winning one with a smooth success in the opening 1400m maiden.

Having his first start for Musabbeh Al Mheiri and the mount of Jim Crowley, retained by the horse’s owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, he was never far off the pace before striking for home 300m out.