The trainer Musabah Al Muhairi’s charges were in dominant form at Meydan on Thursday night, recording four victories and a pair of runner-up finishes on a six-race card.
Jockey William Twiston-Davies doubled his UAE tally while steering Maltese Cat to score in a 1,400m handicap for Al Muhairi, currently leading the trainers’ championship after amassing his 22nd winner of the season.
“I was always pretty confident as I was travelling nicely just off the pace and he then quickened nicely,” the jockey said. “The yard are in great form and it is just a brilliant experience for me.
“This facility is amazing and I am really looking forward to the start of the Carnival next week and some international competition.”
Fellow apprentice Thomas Brown echoed similar thoughts after winning the following 1,600m on stable companion Jamhoori, denying another Al Muhairi horse, Dairam, in the final strides.
“I am really enjoying my time here in the UAE and was pretty hopeful before the race as I was a very close second on him two starts ago,” Brown said. “He enjoyed that wide passage and clear run in the straight and we just made it in time on this occasion.”
The trainer then saddled another 1-2 with Dane O’Neill aboard Hattaash, who ran on too strongly for stable companion Comicality in the 1,200m handicap. O’Neill rode the winner and the pair stalked the early pace before leading 200m out, after which they were always going to hold on.
The winner, in only his second UAE outing, was doubling his career tally. “He was not disgraced on the Jebel Ali dirt first time, but has relished this Tapeta surface,” O’Neill said. “They went nice and quick early on, which has suited him.
“We knew he liked it here, as he had been working well in the mornings and we were pretty hopeful of a good run like that.”
Paschendale then completed the trainer’s great evening, winning the concluding 1,900m handicap, supplying jockey Andrew Nienaber a winner with his first UAE mount.
Al Muhairi had 16 runners, whereas reigning champion Ernst Oertel, who only has a few thoroughbreds, was without a runner. He remains on 17 wins.
The roles are reversed at Abu Dhabi on Sunday, though, when Oertel has 14 declared and Al Muhairi, who has very few Purebred Arabians, just three entries.
Former Champion Trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe and stable jockey Royston Ffrench combined for a double, highlighted by Ghaamer, who was the impressive winner of the official feature, a 1,600m handicap.
Keen in the early stages, Ffrench’s mount hit the front almost 600m out, surging clear of his 12 rivals to win impressively, to the delight of Ffrench.
“He has always worked well since he arrived, so we were a bit disappointed with his Jebel Ali run first time,” Ffrench said. “This was much more like the form he has been showing in the mornings and it would be nice to think he has more to offer.”
Racing began with a 1,600m maiden and the Al Raihe-trained Waahy opened his account at the fifth time of asking on his third start in the UAE, having raced twice in Ireland for John Oxx.
Never far off the pace under Ffrench, he hit the front 500m out and was always holding the challenge of old adversary Shaishee, who has now finished behind him three times.
“He ran very well first time and then probably found 2,000m a bit far last time,” Ffrench said. “He should be able to improve on this and both our winners this evening are young horses.”
sports@thenational.ae
