Selvaratnam, Watson celebrate double win

Dubai: Trainers Dhruba Selvaratnam and Doug Watson picked up a double each at the Jebel Ali racecourse yesterday while luck failed to favour Ali Rashid Al Raihe and high-flying Emirati jockey Ahmad Ajtebi.

William Buick brought home Selvaratnam's winning pair, Meeriss and Mannjal, while reigning champion trainer Watson struck with Call Me George and Fingerprint.

However, for Al Raihe and Ajtebi, it was a day to forget.

Ajtebi, making his first appearance in the UAE this season after his sensational win at the Breeder's Cup meeting, was deprived a victorious homecoming when the stewards upheld an objection against him in the Al Shafar Group handicap.

Riding the Al Raihe-trained Montpellier Ajtebi won the race but was penalised for causing interference to Buick aboard the Pick Six favourite Mannjal in the final stages of the race.

This added to Al Raihe's heartbreak as five of his runners finished second while another was placed third in yesterday's six-race card.

Maanjal's win completed a double for Selvaratnam and Buick after they had earlier won the Dh100,000 Derrinstown Stud Handicap, the day's feature, with Meeriss winning with 4.50 lengths separating second-placed Jet Express.

"Today's double is a great start. Meeriss came a bit late last season but has done well today. We will be running him again once before looking at a few races for him in the Carnival," said former champion trainer Selvaratnam, who has around 50 horses in training at the Jebel Ali Stables.

"William is a promising young jockey and has settled in well. Meeriss deserved to get his head in front and Mannjal would have been an unlucky loser."

Buick commented: "The horses are running well and it is obviously nice to ride winners, especially on this track. I had a great first season here last time and can hopefully do as well again."

Watson, the champion trainer of the last two seasons, joined Saifaldin Deeb at the top of the trainer's table with three winners.

Call Me George started the day's proceedings with Tadhg O'Shea winning from Al Raihe's Rochdale to give Watson his first win of the afternoon.

The two trainers were again involved in a close finish as Watson's Fingerprint under Richard Mullen and Al Raihe's Mutanaseb under O'Shea matched stride for stride over the last 50 metres. But Mullen drew clear just before the finish on the Watson runner.

Results

1. Commercial Bank of Dubai, Handicap, TB, rated 70-95, Dh85,000, 9.75F: 1. Call Me George (Doug Watson) Tadhg O'Shea; 2. Rochdale (Ali Rashid Al Raihe) R. Ffrench; 3. Remaadd (D. Selvaratnam) William Buick.Time: 2:02.85; Distances: 1.25L, 5.50L, 12L

2. Al Shafar Investment Handicap, TB, rated 60-85, Dh70,000, 8F: 1. Seeking An Alibi (Abdullah Bin Huzaim) Carlos Sanchez; 2. Airbuss (D. Selvaratnam) William Buick; 3. Kerashan (Ali Rashid Al Raihe) R. Ffrench. Time:1:42.65; Distances: 1.25L, 0.75L, 0.75L

3. Derrinstown Stud Handicap, TB, rated 75-100, Dh100,000, 8F: 1. Meeriss (Dhruba Selvaratnam) William Buick; 2. Jet Express (Ali Rashid Al Raihe) R. Ffrench; 3. Arqaam (Doug Watson) Tadhg O'Shea. Time: 1:41.01; Distance: 4.50L, 3.25L, 2.25L

4. Power Point LLC Handicap, TB, rated 55-80, Dh65,000, 7F: 1. Fingerprint (Doug Watson) Richard Mullen; 2. Mutanaseb (Ali Rashid Al Raihe) Tadhg O'Shea; 3. Zoom One (D. Selvaratnam) William Buick. Time: 1:28.43; Distance: 0.50L, 4.25L, 3.25L

5. Al Shafar Group, Handicap, TB, rated 70-95, 6F: 1. Mannjal (Dhruba Selvaratnam) William Buick; 2. Montpellier (Ali Rashid Al Raihe) Ahmad Ajtebi; 3. Step In Line (Abdullah Bin Huzaim) Jesus Rosales. Time: 1:13.97; Distances: Neck, 3.50, Nk

6. Bin Belaila Contracting, Benchmark Handicap, TB, rated 55-70, Dh60,000, 5F: 1. Rawalbandie (Rashed Bouresly) Daragh O'Donohoe; 2. Impenetrable (Ali Rashid Al Raihe) R. Ffrench; 3. Al Rajih (D. Selvaratnam) William Buick. Time: 61.48; Distances:0.50L, 6.75L, Shd.