Trainer Al Raihe and jockey Ffrench take Ukrainian to feature win

Jockey Royston Ffrench rides Ukrainian to the win in Race 6 at Abu Dhabi EquestrianClub, the feature. Ravindranath K / The National

Abu Dhabi // The featured 2,200-metre handicap at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Sunday night was won by Ukrainian, trained by Ali Rashid Al Raihe and ridden by stable jockey, Royston Ffrench.

Ffrench was happy to bide his time in midfield before asking his mount to chase the leaders as the 16-strong field swung for home with 500m left to run.

Ukrainian responded well, hit the front within the final 200m and gave none of his rivals a chance in a strong win.

“The return to turf has really suited him,” said Ffrench, whose win came in the only thoroughbred race of the day.

“This is a horse who has plenty of ability and a good turn of foot, but he really does seem to prefer turf compared to dirt or the all-weather.

“His best previous race in the UAE was here, on the grass, at Abu Dhabi.”

The rest of the card was Purebred Arabian races and opened with a 1,400m conditions con­­test, which, with the late withdrawal of the Ernst Oertel-trained Abhaar, looked wide open.

Oertel still had Hakim in the race and he tried to make every yard of the running under apprentice, Daniel Muscutt, but they were swamped at the 200m pole, with AS Fayz proving strongest to lose his maiden status at the fifth attempt for trainer Ahmed Al Mehairbi.

“I actually rode this fellow at Al Ain three weeks ago and he has run there since. I don’t think he really likes that dirt surface,” said winning jockey, Wayne Smith. “I was in trouble early on here but I knew he would run on well and that is actually what he has done.”

It is rare that UAE champion trainer Oertel and UAE champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea leave Abu Dhabi empty handed and they combined to win a 1,600m maiden with Estourah.

Sent to the front early in the straight by O’Shea, she always looked in control to make a pleasing racecourse debut.

“She travelled well, perhaps too much so as we probably hit the front 100m too early. She was getting tired at the end but kept on well,” O’Shea said.

“We had a great draw in one, but you never want to get too far back from there, but she was professional enough and it was a nice debut.”

Leading jockey Richard Mullen added a winner to his tally with Bouthayna Al Reef for trainer Jaber Bittar in a 1,600m handicap.

Prominent early on, he seemed outpaced just after halfway but ran on strongly to hit the lead close home.

“I rode him at Al Ain last time and he did not really seem to like it there, said Mullen. “He has certainly appreciated this return to turf and with the yard in great form I was hopeful.

“It is a great yard to ride for.”

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