Al Ain: Champion trainer Ernst Oertel regained the lead in the UAE trainers’ championship by registering two victories, including the feature event — the Dh100,000 Al Khobaisi handicap — at the Al Ain Racecourse on Thursday.
Daniel Muscutt provided Oertel with the first win of the day when Madjanthat coasted home to win the 1400m Al Sarooj Maiden on Madjanthat. The winner is a four-year-old gelding by three-time Dubai Kahayla Classic (G1) winner Madjan.
Sam Hitchcott completed the double for the Al Asayl Stables handler, when steering Callateral to an authoritative six-length win Haajeb, the mount of Emirati apprentice Saeed Al Mazroui.
Another three lengths behind in third place was Mandragore Al Maury ridden by Noel Garbutt.
“It [Callateral] is a nice horse; I like him. He had problems but we bought him back. He is a good horse in his own right and all our horses are running really well at the moment,” said a jubilant Oertel.
“Madjanthat is a little bit naughty. I think with every race he will get better. He is good horse but there are now hardly any races left for him. I might find another race if possible or else that’s it”
The victory has put Oertel back as the leader in the trainer’s championship. He now has 33 wins, two more than his Oasis stables rival Emirati Musabah Al Muhairi.
“Thank God, now I’m two in front. Inshallah, I hope I stay there,” said Oertel.
Jockey Patrick Cosgrave also completed a double by winning to back-to-back races for two different trainers.
In the third race for Purebred Arabian for Private Owners Only, he rode Tha’er to victory for trainer Jameel Salman.
His second win came in 1600m Al Maqam Handicap where he rode Yakoota W’rsan to victory for Purebred Arabian trainer Jaci Wickham.
Despite the victories, Cosgrave was of the view that it was hard work for him in both the races.
“It was really tough out there and I had to push them as both were lazy,” said the rider.
Trainer Wickham was elated with her first win in Al Ain but had the same sentiments as the jockey, saying, “She had run well in Sharjah and she seems to like the all-weather surface. We had to push her a bit. I had won here before but now I like Al Ain.”
The meet’s only race for Thoroughbreds was won by Patrick Dobbs aboard Centrifugal. The winner came home three and a half lengths ahead of Street Act ridden by Royston Ffrench. Al Mazroui on Mutayaser had to be content with third place.
