Dubai: Al Ain become the second UAE racecourse in two days to inaugurate a new dirt track when it held its first meeting for the 2014-15 season on Friday evening.

The six-race card featured five races for Purebred Arabians and one for thoroughbreds which saw the Esmail Mohammad-trained Respect Me running out an easy winner under Wayne Smith.

“We knew he would like the dirt and had shown us enough ability to be pretty hopeful. It is nice to ride a winner for the new boss,” said Smith.

RB Smokin Rich, having his first start on dirt, provided champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea with an armchair ride to victory in the 1400m Arabian feature.

Trained by champion trainer, Ernst Oertel, the winner has now won three of his five starts.

“We have some nice young horses and he is among them,” said Oertel. “He had a lot of weight for quite a small horse which was a concern but he has handled conditions nicely which gives us more options.

On an evening dominated by wide margin winners, the Dane O’Neill-ridden Alameer came home seven and a quarter lengths clear of his closest rival Zeyad in a 1600m maiden.

O’Neill said: “I wanted to be handy on him and this fellow stays further so I was confident to go for home early.

“It was not a great race but he won nicely and relished the surface.”

RB Torch and O’Shea also notched a six-length victory in a 1400m maiden.

The winning jockey said: “He is just a big baby but has plenty of ability. He took me into the race strongly and quickened well before showing his inexperience close home.

“Hopefully he has a decent future.”

Royston Ffrench reached a personal milestone when he claimed his 200th UAE winner aboard the Hardy Hotger-trained Majd Abu Dhabi in a 1000m handicap.

Ffrench said: “He showed plenty of speed there and was not stopping at the line.

“It is nice to bring up such a landmark and I just have to thank the [Ali Rashid] Al Raihe team and all the other trainers who have supported me.”

Racing concluded with a second 1000m handicap, won by the Helal Al Alawi-trained Safina Ghantoot and a first UAE winner for apprentice George Buckell.