Al Raihe rushed to hospital as stable wins five races

Dubai: Two time UAE champion trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe was rushed to hospital after complaining of chest pains yesterday even as his Grandstand Stables came close to sweeping through the card on the final day of the 2012 Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan.

At the time of writing the Emirati handler was being examined by doctors at Rashid Hospital and his assistant trainer Jilani Seddiqi said he was doing okay.

After the Satish Seemar-trained Al Naouwee won the opening alpha Handicap at the Gulf News-sponsored race night, Al Raihe won the other five races to virtually seal a third consecutive trainer's title.

‘Great achievement'

"The boss fell ill after the fourth race, and we had to call in the paramedics," said Seddiqi.

"He was rushed to hospital immediately and unfortunately did not get to see the last two races.

"It's a great achievement to win five out of six races, and I think this success is a tribute to a man who puts his work before everything else in his life. I pray that everything is okay and that he gets well soon."

Another Emirati, Esmail Mohammad, is the only other trainer to saddle five winners on a night, and yesterday's performance will have added to Al Raihe's growing status in the sport.

‘A wonderful man'

Brazilian jockey Silvestre de Sousa, who rode one of the five winners, paid tribute to Al Raihe.

"He's a wonderful man to work for, and I am really happy that I had the opportunity to ride for him," said De Sousa, who was runner-up in the 2011 British Jockeys Championship.

"He really knows his horses and brings them to the race course in perfect condition.

My job is the easy part, I just have to ride the horse. And when you get good, super fit horses to ride it makes it all the more easy."