The rescheduled third meeting at Al Ain kicks off a busy weekend with Thursday's six-race card followed by Friday's penultimate meeting at Jebel Ali, "Super Saturday" at Meydan and Abu Dhabi's second-to-last meeting on Sunday.
The Garden City’s meet is highlighted by the Al Khobaisi Dh100,000 handicap for horses rated 65 to 90, run over 1,600 metres, one of the five Purebred Arabian contests on the all-weather surface.
Heading that field are two Group 1 winners, Quite A Show and Fryvolous. Quite A Show was victorious in the Group 1 Liwa Oasis at Abu Dhabi in March 2012, as well as the Group 2 Mazrat Al Ruwayah on the all-weather at Meydan in December. He is returning to handicap company for the first time since January 2012.
“He ran really well in the conditions race at Al Ain’s first meeting when having to give weight to some very decent horses,” said Doug Watson, his handler, of the eight-year-old chestnut son of Failna Des Fabries.
“He was fourth then and clearly handled the surface.
“This is a drop in class for him, and we are very hopeful of a big run. He should go very close.”
Fryvolous, now trained by Ernst Oertel, was a winner of the 2008 National Day Cup and 2009 Dubai Kahayla Classic on Dubai World Cup night for Rod Simpson. He has not won since July 2009 and, like Quite A Show, he faces his easiest task for a very long time.
“It is a nice spare ride, obviously, and with the yard in such good form I would have to be very hopeful of a bold show,” said Adrie De Vries, who is booked on the 11-year-old gelding for the suspended (for careless riding) stable jockey Tadhg O’Shea.
“His two Al Ain runs this year, in better races, have been OK and this looks a good opportunity for him.”
Oertel also has entered Callateral (ridden by Sam Hitchcott) and Gali Rich (Daniel Muscutt).
Both have good credentials to strike from the low weight they carry.
Watson has a trio in the concluding race for the thoroughbreds, the Falaj Hazza. The stable jockey Pat Dobbs is aboard Centrifugal, Wayne Smith is booked on Karma Chameleon and Hitchcott on Etijaah.
“All three must have some kind of chance,” the American said. “Centrifugal has been running well but has not been done any favours by the draw. We think Karma Chameleon will appreciate the surface and he has a decent draw.
“He should be staying on. Etijaah has only had three starts for us and can hopefully build on what he has achieved so far.”
Etijaah is owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, whose retained jockey, Paul Hanagan, has opted to ride Almuftarris, trained by Musabah Al Muhairi.
The five-year-old son of Smart Strike was runner-up twice on dirt at Sharjah earlier in the season and a winner on the all-weather in England. He should handle this surface.
Satish Seemar has also entered three. Returning Hero looks the pick under the stable apprentice Marc Monaghan. The stable’s jockey, Richard Mullen, is riding in Qatar.
apassela@thenational.ae
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