Dubai: Strong fields, a competitive looking conditions race and a profusion of entertainment highlights this year’s final race meeting at Jebel Ali Racecourse on Friday.
The focus of the seven-race card is the Prep race for the Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile, one of three Pattern races that are held at the popular family-styled racecourse, each season.
A quality field of seven, including home-trained Abernathy, go to post in the contest.
The race will be sponsored by Shadwell Farm, the high-class stud farm established by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, in 1985 in Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Support sponsors include Shadwell, Shaikh Hamdan’s global breeding headquarters based in Norfolk, England, Al Shafar Contracting, Al Shafar Investment, Ascana, Commercial Bank of Dubai and Rome Interiors.
Looking ahead to the weekend of racing, where Sharjah Racecourse also host a big-race meeting highlighted by the Dh200,000 HH Shaikh Ahmad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup, Emirates Racing Authority (ERA) representative, Yasir Mabrouk said: “We’re set to end the year on a high note with some exciting races planned for Jebel Ali, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
“Friday’s Mile Prep looks a quality race while Major General Shaikh Ahmad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Head of Dubai Police and Public Security and patron of Jebel Ali Racecourse, has generously sponsored the feature event at Sharjah on Saturday.
“Dubai Real Estate, the region’s premier real estate development and marketing firm created by Shaikh Ahmad is very much making its presence this week,” Mabrouk added.
“In believe that we are in store for some competitive racing overall and with around Dh650,000 on offer at Jebel Ali along, there is a lot to at stake.”
In addition to the action on the track, Jebel Ali Racecourse management have planned extensively to keep the many hundreds of spectators who are expected to attend the races on Friday, well entertained as they ring out the year.
The popular Pick Six competition is worth a whopping Dh53,000 while the Double Tricast for the third and fourth races carries a prize of Dh37,000 in total.
