Abu Dhabi: Big Easy and jockey Ted Durcan's hat-trick dreams were shattered by Basilic De Ghazal and John Panas at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse here on Sunday night.

Basilic De Ghazal, the 7-year-old French-bred Dormane's son gave Al Reef Stables, trainer Jaber Bittar and John Panas their first taste of a Group race victory when he out-sprinted Big Easy to create a major upset here.

Big Easy, the star performer, and looking to win his fourth Ruwais (Group 3) race and third in a row under Ted Durcan never looked like the champion who had blazed the tracks both here and in Nad Al Sheba.

Always a front runner, Big Easy, who was recently shifted from the Zabeel Stables to Millennium Stables, looked down and out as Panas pressed the button and Basilic De Ghazal obliged in telling fashion.

The margin was a little over a length but having beaten Big Easy on his favourite distance to fetch the first big win for the stables delighted the connections. Arif Khan, assistant trainer to DR. Jaber Bittar, said Basilic De Ghazal's triumph was a big surprise. "We expected him to finish with a decent placing. Never expected him to win. But it is a fantastic display," he said.

"He has been doing well over the shorter distances but there are not many races for him," said Arif. Basilic De Ghazal had last month won a 60-85 handicap race in Nad Al Sheba ahead of Sousoff, the latter finishing third on Sunday to complete a good show for Al Reef.

Bittar, who had earlier saddled the winner in the second race when Richard Mullen saw Danger through, was the only one to complete a double.

Gillian Duffield's UAE debutant Mabrub showed enough promise to win over a mile, Richard Hills extending his success here in Abu Dhabi.

On course

  • It was a strange night of racing on Sunday when three riders were unseated in different races. Seamus O'Gormon on Sami Lotois was the first to go down when he was unseated in the second race. In the feature race, Daristos fell down, unseating Gary Hind. In the last race, Ted Durcan on Halwa DeFaust was unseated. Fortunately, there were no major injuries.
  • Jockey John Panas scored his first big win of his career when he landed the Group 3 Al Ruwais on Basilic De Gazal. "He is a good and strong horse. I was confident and he really picked up speed towards the end," said Panas.
  • The Bey Classix, Sunday's fourth race, was a race for fillies and mares. The winner also produced a female winner in trainer Jaci Wickham. The Jaci-trained Dhulaima W'Rsan won the Dh30,000 race.

Results

Race 1: McMellen, Purebred Arabians, UAE-bred maidens, Dh 30,000,7F:
1.Al Bayyinah (Mussabah Al Muhairi) S. Heffernan;
2. Saleb (Erwan Charpy) Willie Supple;
3. AF Ibtecar (Bakhit Al Ketbi) C.Arnold.
Distance: 8.25L, 1L, 0.75L
Time: 1:33.75

Race 2: Dent De Loup, Purebred Arabians, Handicap, 0-65, Dh 40,000, 7F:
1. Danger (Jaber Bittar) Richard Mullen;
2. Saket (M. Al Darmaki) S. Brown;
3. Al Nab'A (Doug Watson) Willie Supple.
Distance: 1.25L, 2L, 0.50L
Time: 1:32.70

Race 3: Al Dinari, Purebred Arabians, Dh 35,000, 8F:
1. Mabrum (Gillian Duffield) Richard Hills;
2. Nadir Du Bac (S.Deeb) Rory Cleary;
3. Sous Les Ordres (M. Al Darmaki) S.Brown.
Distance: 0.75L, 2.50L, 6L
Time: 1:45.37

Race 4: Bey Classix, Purebred Arabians, fillies & mares, Maiden, Dh 30,000, 8F:
1. Dhulaima W'Rsan (Jaci Wickham) Tadhg O'Shea;
2. Lameaa (James Frazier) P. Aragoni;
3. Destiny (J.Wickham) Richard Mullen.
Distance: 0.50L, 0.25L, 1.50L
Time: 1:48.09

Race 5: Al Ruwais, Purebred Arabians (Listed) Group 3, Dh 150,000,5F:
1. Basilic De Ghazal (Jaber Bittar) John Panas;
2. Big Easy (Alex Laird) Ted Durcan;
3. Sousoff (Jaber Bittar) S. Heffernan
Distance: 1.25L, 0.50L, 2.75L
Time: 1:03.58

Race 6: Chaikh Man, Purebred Arabians, Limited Conditions, Dh 35,000,11F:
1. Kaarine (Doug Watson) Willie Supple;
2. Moota Hadeeda (James Frazier) P.Aragoni;
3. Hubek Khayal (James Frazier) R. Ffrench.
Distance: 0.50L, 5.25L, 3L
Time: 2:34.31