Smith clinches double on competitive seven-race card

Sharjah: Globe-trotting Wayne Smith helped himself to a double at the Sharjah Equestrian Club on Saturday when he won the opening and closing races on a competitive seven-race card.

Smith, fresh from a stint in India where he also won a Group race, began the day with a runaway victory in the Purebred Arabian Maiden aboard the hugely impressive Meshwar. The runner-up, Wadhah W'Ras, ridden by Tadhg O'Shea, was 16 lengths behind.

However, Smith had to wait until the last race of the afternoon, to complete his two-timer, this time aboard GRP Mudhish for trainer Al Katbi.

UAE regulars Royston Ffrench, Gavin Birrer and David Badel, also put their names on the scoresheet.

Birrer won the featured Thoroughbred event over 1,700 metres aboard the Rod Simpson-trained Shahin Shah, who came home two and a quarter lengths clear of Gulf of Gold.

Ffrench teamed up with C.S. Charma to land the Purebred Arabian handicap over 2,000 metres for Emirati trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihie. Rakheel, with rider Gerald Avaranche, came in second.

RESULTS

Race 1:

Purebred Arabians (Maiden 4yo+) 1,200m: 1. Meshwar (trained by A Al Shamsi) ridden by W Smith; 2. Wadhah W'Ras; 3. Columbia; 4. Intissar W'Rsan.

Distances: 16length, 1.75, 0.75. Time: 1:19.10.

Race 2:

Purebred Arabian (Maiden 4yo+ UAE bred) 1,700m: 1. Knife (M Al Jahouri) J Rosales; 2. GRP Zabeel; 3. Mustanissah; 4. Al Halyl W'Rsan.

Distances: 4.75length, 2.5, 0.75. Time: 2:02.90.

Race 3:

Purebred Arabian (4yo+ 0-35) 1,700m: 1. Balerina (S Deeb) D Badel; 2. Mustawa; 3. Basmah W'Rsan; 4. Men Bu Dhabi.

Distances: 1.5length, 1.25, 2. Time: 2:04.90.

Race 4:

Thoroughbred Maiden (3yo+) 1,700m: 1. Summer Games (R Bouresly) J Hafez; 2. Skycruiser; 3. Lunar Landscape; 4. Alwaabel.

Distances: 4.75length, 2.25, Neck. Time: 1:49.40.

Race 5:

Purebred Arabian (4yo+ 0-45) 2,000m: 1. CS Charma (A Al Raihe) R Ffrench; 2. Rakeel; 3. Razin; 4. Shamess.

Distances: 0.5length, 2.25, 0.75. Time: 2:26.80.

Race 6:

Thoroughbred (3yo+ 0-65) 1,700m: 1. Shahin Shah (R Simpson) G Birrer; 2. Gulf of Gold; 3. Kerashan; 4. Achill Bay.

Distances: 2.25length, 2.75, 3. Time: 1:50.90.

Race 7:

Purebred Arabians (Maiden 4yo+ UAE Bred) 1,200m: 1. GRP Mudhish (B Al Ketbi) W Smith; 2. Litani; 3. Emerson; 4. Al Nashmy.

Distances: 1.75, 6.25, Neck. Time: 1:23.20.