Lost Eden made a winning reappearance in the Jebel Ali Stakes Prep, a prize he won 12 months ago, at the Jebel Ali Racecourse’s sixth meeting of the season on Saturday.
The Doug Watson-trained five-year-old under stable jockey Pat Dobbs always looked confident when taking up the running from the 200-metre mark to win by three and-a-half lengths from Jean van Overmeire and Shamikh.
“He is better over 1,950m so that was very pleasing on his first run back since the end of February,” Watson said of Lost Eden’s victory over the 1,800m distance.
“The Jebel Ali Stakes looks the ideal next target then we can look at Meydan and the carnival.”
Fanaar, under Dane O’Neill, provided Watson his first of the three winners when taking the second race.
The Dark Angel gelding in the silks of Shadwell was registering consecutive course and distance victories having taken 19 attempts to open his UAE account and he now has four career successes to his name.
“He has always been a nice horse and has run plenty of good races,” Watson said of the six-year-old.
“It was a nice 28 days since that first win for us which was ideal and he deserved that win a month ago. He loves it here at Jebel Ali so will look for something here but we also have the option of the 1,200m turf straight at Meydan.”
Watson completed a quick double with the equally impressive Colour Up in the following 1,000m handicap, this time combining with Dobbs in the colours of Sayed Hashish.
Dobbs was happy to chase eventual runner-up Meshakel until entering the final 200m when he set sail for home with the race soon in safekeeping.
“This looked a good spot to try and get him a carnival rating which we have hopefully achieved and there is a handicap at Meydan in a month hopefully,” Watson said.
“It was not ideal running him back so quickly but there was nothing else for him. Hopefully he can go to the carnival and perhaps come back here for the Jebel Ali Sprint later on.”
Results
2.15pm: Orient Irrigation Services – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner: Quality Humor, Ray Dawson (jockey) Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
2.45pm: Al Shafar Investment – Handicap (TB) Dh96,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Fanaar, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
3.15pm: Bin Dasmal Contracting – Handicap (TB) Dh96,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Colour Up, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
3.45pm: Jebel Ali Stakes Prep – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Lost Eden, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
4.15pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Justice Protecol, Fernando Jara, Ismail Mohammed
4.45pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: City King, Oscar Chavez, Osama Refai
