Dubai: Revamped competitions and high quality action on the track lie in store for race goers when Jebel Ali Racecourse hosts one of the highlights of the season on Friday.
This year's renewal of the Dh500,000 Jebel Ali Mile, a race that consistently attracts the country's top-rated milers, has drawn a very strong field including the two horses that fought out an absolute thriller 12 months ago.
On that occasion Jet Express beat Golden Arrow by half a length to avenge a 2009 defeat in the race.
The rivalry takes on a new dimension on Friday with star miler Snaaf set to make his debut at Jebel Ali.
The Jebel Ali Mile is sponsored by Shadwell Farm, owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.
Serve U, Al Shafar Investment, Emirates, Ascana and Al Redha Insurance Brokers will sponsor the five other races on an action-packed card.
As a racecourse, Jebel Ali provides the best free family fun day and Shareef Al Halawani, director of the facility, said that every effort will be made to ensure that race goers have the best entertainment both on and off the track.
Shaikh Majid Al Mualla, Senior Vice-president Commercial Operations West Asia & Indian Ocean, Emirates, said that Emirates was delighted to continue its relationship with Jebel Ali Racecourse.
"Emirates' support of horse racing, here in Dubai and elsewhere, is well known and has been one of the mainstays of our sports sponsorship portfolio for a long time," he said.
"We believe that sports sponsorship is an excellent way of connecting with our customers, by sharing in and supporting their interest and passions."
Al Halawani announced that the popular Pick Six competition has been revised and the Dh40,000 pot will be distributed as follows: First prize Dh10,000, second Dh7,500, third Dh5,000, and fourth Dh2,500 while the next 30 lucky winners will receive Dh500 each. "The aim is to ensure that more race fans are rewarded, which will sustain their interest in horse racing," he said.
Also present at a press conference yesterday were Paul Turnstall, business development manager at ServeU; Bassem Zakaria representing Al Shafar Investment, Ascana's Abdul Haleem Barqawi and Pankaj N.C. from Al Redha Insurance Brokers.
