Johnny too good at Jebel Ali

Dubai: Jet-setter Johnny Murtagh, who was narrowly denied victory at the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday, made amends by winning the Dhs 350,000 Jebel Ali Sprint yesterday.

The Irishman flew in to Dubai hours after finishing a close second on Golden Cross in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle over three miles, to ride at yesterday's final race meet of the season at the Jebel Ali Racecourse.

He was pencilled in for three rides for retaining trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam, including one aboard course specialist Raging Creek in the featured sprint.

Murtagh, who has won the English Derby thrice among several other major international races, successfully employed front-running tactics aboard the seven-year-old horse who stormed home for a compelling two and a half length victory over unfancied Safsoof.

The race was run in a sandstorm that made conditions difficult for rider and horse.

But Murtagh, who spent a year as stable jockey at the Jebel Ali Racecourse during the 1993-'94 season, called upon his vast experience to repel the challenge of a high-quality field that included runners from Brazil and South Africa.

After the race Murtagh, who also won the jockey's championship in 1994, said: "He has done that very well. I was always happy out in front. He loves this track and has a lot of pace. I knew he was was never going to be caught."

Talking about his experience riding over hurdles at Cheltenham the Irishman said: "The atmosphere was unbelievable. It would have been nice to win obviously but my horse (Golden Cross) ran a great race.

"It was awfully close in the end, perhaps too close."

Raging Creek's performance may just secure him an invitation to the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (Group 1), the featured sprint race on the Dubai World Cup card.

Top trainer Doug Watson took his tally of winners for the season to 43 when he saddled a double with Manrique and Muzdaher.

Manrique won the Al Shafar Investment handicap over 1,200 metres, edging Musahim, the mount of Richard Hills, by a nose.

Hills produced a similar effort on Muzdaher to win National Bank of Dubai seven-furlong handicap.

Alec Laird's Red Duster won his second successive race, beating Yankee George in a Conditions event while Royston Ffrench partnered Ali Rashid Al Raihe's Vanishing Act to land the Al Shafar Group handicap over 2,200 metres.

Results

1st race. Arenco (Purebred Arabians 4yo+ rated 50-75) 1,200metres:
1. Basilic De Ghazal (J Bittar) J Panas; 2. Murhib (D Watson) P dobbs; 3. Muthaaber (G duffield) C Arnold; 4. Danidor (E Charpy) T O'Shea.
Distances: 3 length, 0.5. 2.25.
Time: 1:20.48.

2nd race. Al Shafar Investment (Thoroughbreds 3yo+ rated 35-60) 1,200 metres:
1. Manrique (D Watson) W Supple; 2. Musahim (A al Raihe) R Hills; 3. Nazeeh (M Al Muhairi) W Smith; 4. Majaarat (A Manuel) M Khan.
Distances: Nose, 0.5, 0.75.
Time: 1:13.14.

3rd race. Jebel Ali Sprint (Listed), sponsored by Derrinstown Stud (Thoroughbreds 3yo+) 1,000 metres:
1. Raging Creek (D Selvaratnam) J Murtagh; 2. Safsoof (I Mohammad) K McEvoy; 3. Key of Destiny (M de Kock) w Marwing; 4. Karlo Guitar (C Morgado) M Almeida.
Distances: 2.5length, Nose, 0.25.
Time: 59.35.

4th race. National Bank of Dubai (Thoroughbreds 3yo+ rated 65-90) 1,400 metres:
1. Muzdaher (D Watson) R Hills; 2. Boston Lodge (D Watson) D O'Donohoe; 3. Shafeeq (M al Muhairi) W Supple; 4. Waajeb (A Al Raihe) R Ffrench.
Distances: 0.25length, 1.25, 1.75.
Time: 1:25.23.

5th race. Commercial Bank of Dubai (Thoroughbreds 3yo+ Conditions) 1,400 metres:
1. Red Duster (A Laird) T Durcan; 2. Yankee George (D Watson) W Supple; 3. Nomoretaxes (M de Kock) W Marwing; 4. Getbuzzin' (M Al Muhairi) J Panas.
Distances: 2.75length, 0.25, 3.25.
Time: 1:25.21.

6th race. Al Shafar Group (Thoroughbreds 3yo+ rated 45-70) 2,200 metres:
1. Vanishing Act (A Al Raihe) R French; 2. Zvakare (S Seemar) M Khan; 3. First View (D Watson) R Mullen; 4. Raysoot (D Selvaratnam) T Durcan.
Distances: 4.5 length, 1.75, 2.5.
Time: 2:16.93.

7th race. Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum EHBS Championship (Purebred Arabians UAE bred) 1,800m:
1. Dynamite (S Deeb) W Smith; 2. Mazejeh (I Ellahi) W Supple; 3. Muwasell (A Al Raihe) R French.
Distances: 2.25length, 0.5. 0.75.
Time: 2:05.00.