Watson-trained Just A Penny seeks 8th win at Jebel Ali

DUBAI — Doug Watson-trained course specialist Just a Penny heads a field of seven for the 1600m Jebel Ali Mile Prep in the penultimate race meeting of 2018 in the UAE at the Jebel Ali racecourse on Friday.

Making his seasonal reappearance, the 6-year-old gelded son of Kodiac has seven career victories to his credit, all at Jebel Ali over trips ranging from 1200m to 1950m. Conceding weight to all six rivals, stable jockey Pat Dobbs rides for owner Mohd Khalifa Al Basti, to date the most successful owner of Thoroughbreds this season.

“He has been training very well and is in great form at home, so we are expecting him to run a big race but he does have to give away a lot of weight. He is a big horse, so carrying the weight should not be an issue.

He is also going to improve, condition-wise, for the run in what is the first realistic option we have had for him at Jebel Ali this season. His main targets are the Jebel Ali Mile and Jebel Ali Stakes and this has been his planned comeback with those races in mind,” said Watson.

For the same owner, Ahmad bin Harmash saddles Rocket Power, victorious twice already at Jebel Ali this season.

A 5-year-old Kyllachy gelding, he has also won over 1200m at Jebel Ali, so he clearly relishes the track and appears in smart form for jockey Connor Beasley, who said: “He has won his two starts at Jebel Ali well this season.

This is a much better contest but he is in good form and should be thereabouts.”

Bin Harmash is also represented by Ennobled Friend, the mount of Antonio Fresu and returning from a 53-week absence. After 28 career starts, Fresu’s mount has just one victory to his name, a 1600m Jebel Ali handicap in March 2014, but he has produced many good performances in defeat against top company.

Trained on the Jebel Ali track by Nicholas Bachalard, Albernathy has only run on his ‘home track’ once, when third to the ill-fated Frankyfourfingers in this Jebel Ali Mile Prep 12 months ago. The mount of Chris Hayes, he has finished third in both his outings this season.

“We are trying blinkers on him,” Bachalard said. “He has run well both starts at Meydan this season, but we just thought we would try something a bit different, thus the headgear. The 2000m last time was perhaps a bit further than ideal, but we think the 1600m here at Jebel Ali will really suit him and that he can run well in a tough little race.”

The other two runners are both trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri. The owner’s retained jockey Dane O’Neill chose Zainhom, leaving Al Mheiri’s stable jockey Ben Curtis to partner Takatul.