Dubai: Emirati handlers Ali Rashid Al Rayhi and Salim Bin Ghadayer got their 2017-2018 UAE racing season off to a flyer landing a double each at Jebel Ali Racecourse on Friday afternoon.
Al Rayhi, a former champion trainer, even had the pleasure of winning the opening day’s feature race, the 1,000-metre Shadwell Handicap, with the super-fit Kasb.
Ridden with a great deal of confidence by jockey Paolo Sirigu, Kasb took over the running before he was headed at the 400m mark by Riflescope, the mount of Antonio Fresu.
However, Al Rayhi’s sprinter regained control as the field began the final assent to the finish and held on strong to cross the line three-quarters-of-a-length clear of the persistent Riflescope.
Al Rayhi said that he was delighted with the winner’s performance as he had been showing a lot of speed during his morning work.
“We were confident going in to the race but you can’t be too sure as this was only his first race since last season,” he said,
“But he’s a nice horse who likes it here. He’s fit and always gives 100 per cent. I hope that he will come on for this run and we can target some nice sprinters later in the season.”
Kasb is owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, who was the champion owner last season.
Al Rayhi completed the double when the Rabbah Bloodstock-owned Najm Suhail, made most of the running to land the EMS (E Sports) Handicap over 1,400m.
Ridden by former UAE champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea, the winner scored by half-a-length from stable companion Kalkrand, the mount of apprentice Josh Quinn.
Commenting on his good start to the season, Al Rayhi said: “All praise goes to our team at Grandstand Stables, they put in all the hard work, even during summer.
“They have the horses in peak condition for the new season, so it’s a good reward for all of them to have two winners on the opening day of a new season.”
Asked if he had any specific goals for the season, the veteran handler, who raced horses bareback on the beaches of the UAE as a youngster, said: “Goals put pressure on me and my team.
“I believe that we would like to see out horses give one hundred per cent every time they run. That is what makes me happy and I OK with that.”
The honour of winning the first race of the season was claimed by Bin Ghadayer, who trains out of Fazza Stables, owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Bin Ghadayer, who saddled 10 winners last season, was quick off the mark with fancied Aslan winning the Al Redha Insurance Brokers Handicap over 1,950m in the hands of Xavier Zani.
Arrowy completed the double for the Emirati handler when winning the Al Tal handicap under Royston Ffrench.
Champion trainer Doug Watson did not go home empty-handed as Resonant, ridden by stable jockey Pat Dobbs, comfortably won the Al Shafar Handicap by a margin of four-and-a-half lengths.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club (ADEC) will be staging a rare Saturday meeting to begin their season.
The meeting is highlighted by the 1,600m Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Prep, a conditions race for which the maximum field of 16 have been declared.
The race is certain to provide clues for many of the big Abu Dhabi turf races throughout the season.
Al Zahirm, a four-year-old trained by Al Rayhi for Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid looked an exciting prospect in his two UAE outings earlier this year, when landing the final two rounds of the Arabian Triple Crown in Abu Dhabi.
Al Rayhi’s stable jockey, Tadhg O’Shea, takes the ride and said: “I would not swap him, and think he is a very talented horse. He has been working nicely but will definitely improve fitness wise.
“The 1600m is very much his minimum trip but he will be staying on and this looks a good spot to get him back on the track.
“The HH President’s Cup is hopefully his main target.”
Al Rayhi also saddles Aljazi, the mount of Paolo Sirigu for Shaikh Hamdan, who also has two other runners, both trained by Doug Watson.
Of the pair, stable jockey Pat Dobbs partners Bon Baiser De Baust, with Sam Hitchcott aboard stable companion, Sauternes Al Maury.
“Bon Baiser De Baust ran very well at Abu Dhabi in the President’s Cup when he probably did not stay the 2,200m,” explained Watson. “He is in good form as is Sauternes Al Maury who is actually making his turf debut so we’ll see how he goes.”
