Frankyfourfingers makes stylish return
dubai — Class prevailed, as it so often does, at Jebel Ali on Friday afternoon when the feature at the final 2017 meeting of the UAE season was won in style by Frankyfourfingers. Facing 11 rivals and conceding weight to them all in the Jebel Ali Mile Prep (Race 3), a 1600m rated conditions race, the winner of the 2015 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (G2) was soon in front under Royston Ffrench and always looked in control.
Winning for the first time since that big Meydan victory, when chased home by subsequent fellow 2015 Dubai World Cup winner Prince Bishop, he was making his seasonal debut after just six outings in the interim. Challenged for the lead early on by Just A Penny, who forfeited ground on the bend, Frankyfourfingers had that rival beaten 600m from home and was never really challenged from there.
Ffrench said: “That was very impressive today on his first visit here to Jebel Ali, which has really suited him. All his preparation coming into the race had gone well and he is, really, a lovely horse and a big favourite in the yard. He is fragile and has not raced that much, so a lot of credit must go the trainer and the team in the yard. They have done a marvellous job with him.”
The trainer to whom Ffrench alludes is Salem bin Ghadayer and they were celebrating a rapid double, as was the owner. On paper, the 1800m handicap on the card (Race 2) looked ultra-competitive but, in reality, very few of the 14 runners were ever able to get involved.
Ffrench was soon in pole position on Aslan and had the race under control halfway up the long straight. It was virtually a carbon copy of the horse’s 1950m course handicap victory at the very first meeting of the UAE season, other than Xavier Ziani was aboard on that occasion.
Ffrench said: “Being drawn wide was not a problem because this horse has plenty of tactical speed and once I managed to get to the front early on, I was always happy. Everything worked out very well for him today and he has won very well.”
Aslan must hold a special place in his trainer bin Ghadayer’s heart, as he was his conditioner’s first ever winner, at Meydan in January 2015.
A fabulous afternoon for trainer and jockey continued when they made it three consecutive victories, this time with Galles who was always in the first two before hitting the front 700m out in a handicap over 1950m.
A thrilled Ffrench said: “Obviously, this is great and a treble very special, especially for the team and I am very lucky to be part of it.”