Ajajj aces Al Ain featured marathon in determined fashion
DUBAI: Racing at Al Ain on Saturday was highlighted by the Second Leg of the Al Ain Marathon Series, a 4100m handicap in which just five went to post, but it produced a dramatic conclusion with Richard Mullen and Ajjaj thwarting RB Grynade, the mount of Fabrice Veron, in the final 25m.
Of the quintet, only top weight and eventual third Balad Al Reef did not lead at some point with Jeemi seting the early tempo, headed by Hareer Al Reef with about 800m remaining, but soon relinquishing that advantage to RB Grynade. As Mullen started to challenge, about 350m from home, RB Grynade drited across his path, forcing Ajjaj to check. Mullen was able to pull him around his errant rival and his mount responded well, staying on strongly to lead where it matered.
Trained on the Al Ain track by Jean de Roualle, the homebred 10-year-old entire, has now won five times, all in the UAE and was winning this race for a second time, having also landed the prize in 2018 when he followed up in the 5100m concluding leg of the series.
The fixture kicked off with a 2000m maiden for which a capacity field of 15 faced the starter, but very few were ever able to land a blow with several ruining their chances with very slow starts. Tadhg O’shea and AF Sadn were the early leaders, but weakened quickly about 750m from home at which point Jouna and Royston Ffrench grabbed the initiative with Harturo Du Faust for company, the remainder soon well beaten.
The later, ridden by Omani apprentice Abdul Aziz Al Balushi for Abu Dhabi Racing and Helal Alalawi, took over about halfway down the long straight. Ffrench’s mount tried to batle back, but had to setle for second with the winner pulling away in the final 150m.
O’shea may have been out of luck in the opener, but made no mistake in the following 1600m maiden for horses foaled in the UAE, another full field and, again, very few of the 15 ever threatened. The race developedintoaduelwitho’sheaaboardafmusannef batling throughout the final 575m with Taajer, the pair both maidens ater 26 combined starts!
Ninety minutes later connections were celebrating a double ater the hard fought success of dirt debutant AF Alajaj in a 1600m handicap for horses in private ownership. Sent straight to the front by O’shea, the homebred 4-year-old colt won his first career start, over 1400m on the Abu Dhabi turf just over a month ago and was then far from disgraced when sixth behind the imperious Hameem in the 1600m Listed Arabian Triple Crown R1, also in the capital.
Doug Watson does not train that many Purebred Arabians, but he is a dab hand with them and he saddled RB Blyng who turned a 1600m conditions raceintoaprocessionundersamhitchcotforbyerley Racing. Having just her seventh career start and second in the UAE, ater a fruitless turf debut at Abu Dhabi in early December, the 5-year-old mare has now won three of her seven career appearances, two over 1600m, ater a pair of victories in the US, the native land of both herself and the handler. In front from a long way out, she scooted clear with about 450 remaining and Hitchcot never had a moment of concern thereater.