Exciting races on cards at Jebel Ali today

DUBAI: Eight exciting races are schedule for Friday at Jebel Ali Racecourse, topped by a 1400m handicap in which 15 are set to post, topped in the weights by Al Tariq, one of two local debutants in the race for six-time champion trainer Doug Watson, who also saddles Maraawed. The card also features an 1800m handicap affair that appears more than up for grabs on what should be a thrilling Super Saturday eve card for Dubai racing fans.

Al Tariq, a 4-year-old Oasis Dream colt having his first start for his new owner Abdulmohsen Al Abdulkareem, was previously trained in France by Pia Brandt, winning once in ten starts. Said victory came in a 1400m maiden at Le Lion-d’angers last April. He has the assistance of Pat Dobbs, with Maraawed to be ridden by Dane O’neill, retained by the horse’s owner Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the Minister of Finance.

A 4-year-old gelded son of Swiss Spirit, Maraawed won two of his nine starts in Britain for Roger Varian, most recently a 1400m handicap at Sandown last July.

“Both horses are ready for an outing and this looks a good spot,” Watson said.

“We declared Al Tariq on turf in a Dubai World Cup Carnival race last Thursday, but he was only a reserve and did not get a run so we are bringing him here.

“Obviously, we will not know if he takes to the surface and the hill until we try, but we think he is a nice horse for the future and if he takes to Jebel Ali it opens up plenty more options.

“It is the same with Maraawed. He will hopefully like Jebel Ali, but we will only find out on the day.”

Sheikh Hamdan’s first jockey, Jim Crowley, has opted to ride Moqarrab for trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri. A 5-year-old Speightstown gelding, Crowley’s mount has yet to win in the UAE or on dirt, but on his local debut was beaten just a short-head in a 1400m dirt handicap at Meydan in February 2019. In his four subsequent dirt outings, including two at Jebel Ali, he has appeared far less promising, but retains the confidence of his pilot.

Of the 15 runners, no less than five are set to be saddled by Satish Seemar with stable jockey, Richard Mullen, opting to ride Ode To Autumn, a course and distance a fortnight ago.

Also for Seemar, Tadhg O’shea partners Sharamm, one of two in the race for racecourse patron Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for whom Nicholas Bachalard, training on site at Jebel Ali Stables, saddles Hot Seat, who has not run for 914 days but won half of his four starts in the US for Saudi Cup-winning conditioner Jason Servis.

The main support race is a wide-open handicap over 1800m in which Tailor’s Row is seeking a rapid course hat-trick for Salem bin Ghadayer, having won at each of the last two Jebel Ali meetings, over course and distance and then over 1950m.