Sholaan and jockey Doyle see off all comers

yesterday was turned into a procession by Sholaan, ridden by James Doyle for the trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam, who trains on the Jebel Ali track.

DUBAI // The featured Jebel Ali Sprint Prep on Friday was turned into a procession by Sholaan, ridden by James Doyle for the trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam, who trains on the Jebel Ali track.

A winner at 1,200 metres at the track’s previous meeting two weeks ago, Doyle’s mount was always travelling well behind a strong gallop in yesterday’s 1,000m race.

Russian Rock, winner of the race in each of the two previous seasons, surged to the front 400m out, but was outpaced by Sholaan in the final 200m.

“He was impressive last time, but this was a much better race and that was a very good win,” Selvaratnam said. “He is better over 1,200m, so the fact they went so quick helped, and he was getting weight from Russian Rock.

“We will be back for the Sprint itself in two weeks and we hope he could be a World Cup night runner in the Al Quoz Sprint.”

The meeting opened with a 1,600m handicap, and the apprentice Daniel Muscutt made all on Touch Gold for the champion trainer Ernst Oertel.

It was a second win on the horse this season for the young jockey, and the pair fought hard to resist several determined challenges.

“I was happy out in front, as I did not have to work hard to get there,” Muscutt said. “He is so brave and just kept finding as the others challenged him. I won on him at Meydan four weeks ago, so he is a real favourite of mine.”

Trainer Satish Seemar’s horses dominated the second 1,600m handicap, taking the first three places, with stable jockey Richard Mullen on the winner, Tiz Now Tiz Then.

A winner at the same course and distance two weeks ago, Mullen’s mount saw off the challenge of stable companion Warsaw, with Royal Revival running third.

“Tiz Now Tiz Then had disappointed this season before that win last time and we hoped he would be hard to beat,” Seemar said. “Warsaw has surprised us, as we think he prefers Meydan, and Royal Revival has plenty of ability, but is not an easy horse to deal with.”

The concluding handicap, at 1,400m, produced the closest finish of the afternoon, with Need To Know leading in the last stride to deny Enery, who had passed the early leader Dohasa only 50m out.

Royston Ffrench rode the winner for his main employer, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

Kanaf made it four 1,400m Jebel Ali victories for the season with a hard-fought victory in a handicap.

Trained by Musabah Al Muhairi, he was ridden by Paul Hanagan, and the pair looked beaten when headed 100m out by Kaiss, only to fight back and lead again at the wire. The horse has victories in four of the past five meetings at the track.

“He loves it here at Jebel Ali,” Hanagan said.

Another course specialist, Firstknight, won his third course handicap of the season, this one over 1,200m, with Pat Dobbs making almost every yard of the running for trainer Doug Watson.

His previous two wins were both over 1,400m.

Follow us on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE