Dubai: UAE champion trainer Satish Seemar and Pat Cosgrave took the plaudits Friday afternoon after Rodaini stormed to a sensational victory in the Jebel Ali Classic (Silver Jubilee), the feature event of the final race meeting of the season at Jebel Ali Racecourse.
All the talk had centered around the favourites but Rodaini, one of the outsiders in the field of 15 and devoid of the attention, stormed along the outside rail to win by a massive three and-a-quarter lengths. He held a prominent position 400m out and kept building on all the way to the finish.
Musabbeh Al Mheiri-trained and Antonio Fresu-ridden Alfareeq was second, while 0.75l behind in third was Seemar’s other charge, Karaginsky with Tadhg O’Shea up.
Bhupat Seemar, assistant to Seemar, said: “He’s definitely a class horse and he’s run in races better than this. He’s actually run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, so he’s definitely a class horse and finally we’ve got him right and in top form. His gallop here is very, very good, so I’m glad he’s done it for the connections.”
Salem Bin Ghadayer-trained Cocobai nailed the 1400m Conditions event for three-year-old fillies that preceded the feature event on her second career start. Third in a 1200m maiden at Meydan last week, Royston Ffrench kept the three-year-old Munnings filly in a good position in the field of six and she kicked clear 300m out to win by 5.5l from Nayefah - trained by Nicholas Bachalard for Jebel Ali Racecourse patron Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. A further 2.5l back in third was Heshmah for Watson under Hitchcott.
Watson enjoyed a 1-2 in the card opening 1400m maiden - with Pat Dobbs on Faithful Soldier edging stable companion Al Murqab ridden by Hitchcott, while Ali Rashid Al Rayhi clinched the 1400m handicap that followed with the Jim Crowley-ridden Almoreb, who showed a good turn of foot to get away from the rest and finish 0.75l clear of the Seemar-schooled and O’Shea ridden Law Of Peace.
Second success
Watson picked up a second success on the card when Ababil won the 1200m handicap sprint under Richard Mullen by a dominating 6l from Erwan Charpy’s Farook, ridden by Crowley.
Watson’s treble was completed by Hitchcott, who won the Mohammed Taha Cup, sponsored by Shadwell in memory of the late Al Adiyat editor with Coast Sky, who edged stablemate Falcon Claws ridden by Dobbs at the post.
Ahmad Bin Harmash enjoyed a 1-2 in the card closing 1950m handicap with Mudallel, ridden by Omani apprentice Saif Al Balushi, finishing a length ahead of Woodditton, ridden by Fernando Jara.
