Dubai: Trainer Julian Smart made a triumphant return to the UAE when Jaafer stunned a fancied field to win the Dubai Kahayla Classic (Group 1) at Meydan racecourse here yesterday evening.
Smart, who won this race in 2002, saw his seven-year-old grey, son of Amer, under Adrie de Vries, unleash a terrific pace in the final furlong to win by over five lengths.
Now based in Qatar, it was a triumphant return by Smart, who had won this race previously when based in Abu Dhabi.
After 2008 winner Mizz-na was withdrawn, Gillian Duffield's No Risk Al Maury was a piping hot favourite and when the leading group approached the home stretch, Richard Hills brought him to the front.
Blues
It was a line of blues as No Risk Al Maury, Paris Gagner and Kandar Du Falgas battled for dominance; however, it was at this stage that Jaafer came flying on the outside and there was little Hills could do but follow the winner with Paris Gagner under Willie Supple in third.
Jaafer, who was third and fourth in his two starts this year in Qatar, was beaten twice last year by No Risk Al Maury.
"It's nice to be back here. I did it for Abu Dhabi before, and now this one is for Qatar. It just keeps getting better," said Smart.
"To bring a horse here from Qatar and to win is simply such an amazing feeling."
"I think he likes this surface. I think he loved the short straight at Meydan. It suits him well," he said.
"He is one of our better horses. I am so elated to be winning. It was a tough decision to bring him here, but I am glad we did. "I thank all the people who have made this possible for me," added Smart, who had last season brought a few runners from Oman and won in Abu Dhabi. Winning jockey de Vries showered praise on his horse.
"He ran such a relaxed race. He was simply amazing."
"The idea was to stick around with the top, but maybe he fell behind a bit too much. But he showed what he was made of in the second half of the race. He found the right gap and then simply flew past the whole lot of them," said the French jockey.
Commenting on Meydan, de Vries said: "It's amazing, just amazing. Everybody told me but I've seen it myself now and it's great, fantastic!"
