Jayide Al Boraq emerges as shining star after Meydan victory

Brazilian Jockey Pinheiro calls win in the Group 2 Baniyas a 'dream come true', overcoming RB Money To Burn in Dubai

Bernardo Pinheiro guides Jayide Al Boraq to victory at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday. Pawan Singh / The National

Jayide Al Boraq emerged as a new Purebred Arabian star after an impressive victory in the Group 2 Baniyas at Meydan Racecourse’s second meeting on Thursday.

Coming off handicaps, the six-year-old son of Burning Sand – under an enterprising ride from Bernardo Pinheiro – presented his trainer Khalifa Al Neyadi with his biggest career success.

Fabrice Veron on Eric Lemartinel’s RB Money To Burn was quick to break and raced to the front to establish a lead of more than four-length as they turned to the home stretch.

Jayide Al Boraq came from the middle of the pack at the same point to chase the Group 1 winning mare and then finished the strongest of all to win by a length and three quarter over the 1,400-metre trip.

“RB Money To Burn was a long way in front but I was confident because my chap was travelling well,” the winning Brazilian jockey said.

“I thought the worse that can happen was that I’ll finish second, so I kicked him to the finishing line.

“I have won a few races on him and tonight he proved what he can do. I’m on my fourth season in the UAE and to win a Group 2 prize was like a dream come true.”

Jayide Al Boraq’s success on the night took his tally to seven wins in nine starts, and Pinheiro was on board in five of them, including his triumph in the Group 2 race at Meydan.

Jockey Antonio Fresu and Antonio Vivaldi - making a debut on dirt in only his third start - on way to victory in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National 

Antonio Fresu rode an excellent treble on the night on board Musabah Al Muahairi-trained trio Antonio Vivaldi, Casey Jones and Welsh Lord.

Antonio Vivaldi making his dirt debut in only his third start made smooth progress from 600m out to get the better of Satish Seemar’s duo Zero To A Hundred and Miller’s House.

Fresu’s second win was over Doug Watson’s Thegreatcollection, in a photo in the Rated Conditions for the thoroughbreds before rounding off the meeting by taking the concluding handicap on Welsh Lord with a strong late run.

“He [Casey Jones] came very close to win on his two local starts last season, and tonight he got his head in front,” the Italian said.

Watson too celebrated a double with newcomer Super Chianti under stable jockey Pat Dobbs and Mayadeen ridden by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid’s retained jockey Dane O’Neill.