Mannjal works magic at Jebel Ali

Dubai : The Jebel Ali season drew to an exciting close yesterday with a six-race card highlighted by a 1,200-metre conditions race, sponsored by Shadwell, owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.

It was won in style by Mannjal, trained on the track by Dhruba Selvaratnam for his main patron Shaikh Ahmad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

William Buick was in the saddle, as he was earlier on the Emmrooz for the same connections in a 1,600-metre conditions race, sponsored by the Derrinstown Stud of Shaikh Hamdan.

Buick said: "Mannjal is a real course specialist and nearly always produces his best here up the hill.

He has enjoyed a good campaign but Emmrooz is a relatively new horse for us and hopefully one for next season."

Pat Dobbs was another jockey in double form and won a 1,200-metre handicap on Bounty Quest and a 1,400-metre handicap on Lord Ego who beat stable companion Numair. All three are trained by Doug Watson and both winners sport the silks of Malih Al Basti.

Watson, who joins Ali Rashid Al Raihe on 26 winners for the season, said: "That is great for the whole team and Malih deserves this success as he has been such a loyal supporter of the team throughout. Pat missed the start of the season injured so it is nice to see him getting a few winners."

On the van

South African trainer Mike de Kock is no stranger to success at Jebel Ali and Kevin Shea was in the saddle on Warsaw, the easy winner of a second 1,400-metre handicap.

Always in the van, Shea kicked his mount clear at halfway mark and said: "He has shown a lot of pace there and won nicely. He is very versatile and an ideal horse for Dubai."

The 1,000-metre handicap was won by Planetary Moton with Carlos Sandoval in the saddle for trainer Abdullah Bin Huzaim.