Ajjaj shows staying prowess
al ain — Saturday’s meeting at Al Ain was highlighted by Round 1 of the Al Ain Marathon Series, a handicap over 2600m and which produced a titanic battle between Ajjaj and Shamikh Al Wathba who had the race between themselves throughout the final 200m.
The former, who was under pressure a long way out under champion jockey Richard Mullen, just as he had been when winning on this course over 1800m eight days ago, hit the front early in the long straight and soon had most of their seven rivals in trouble. The main exception was Shamikh Al Wathba who appeared to be travelling much the better under Antonio Fresu and the pair hit the front with just 100m left to run. That produced a telling response from Ajjaj who fought back to regain the initiative and was probably extending the regained lead as they crossed the line for a hard fought victory.
For the winner, it was a third career victory, all at Al Ain having also won a 1400m course maiden in March 2015.
The meeting also opened with a Mullen winner when the 2000m maiden was won fairly comprehensively by AF Al Mehleb, trained by Ernst Oertel and finally opening his account at the tenth attempt. Homebred by champion owner, Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda, he and Mullen were never far off the pace and, once the pair hit the way halfway up the long straight, they never looked like being denied.
Determination was then key in the following 2000m handicap in which Bayan proved ultra game under Silvestre De Sousa, leading early in the straight and responding gallantly when challenged by Zahee who looked to be travelling by far the stronger under Tadhg O’Shea.
AF Maher completed a double for the combination of Oertel and Al Nabooda, as well as an independent brace for De Sousa, who drove AF Maher to a reasonably comfortable victory in a 1400m handicap. A 1600m maiden was won smoothly by Mukaram, making it is third time lucky for the ever powerful Al Asayl team, in the colours of The President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.