Dubai: The UAE's champion trainer for the season, Emirati Ali Rashid Al Raihe, is back at the helm handling his runners, including three who are running in the Godolphin Mile on Saturday.
Al Raihe had been taken ill at Meydan during a race meeting a fortnight ago — on a night when he saddled five out of six winners. "I would like to thank everybody for their best wishes when I was in hospital but am feeling much better now. We have enjoyed a great season and finished the campaign in really good form so are looking forward to Saturday."
He has finished the campaign with a personal best of 47 winners and with a flourish which has to raise confidence ahead of his Dubai World Cup night runners of which three take their chance in the Godolphin Mile.
"All three of our Godolphin Mile runners — Derbaas/First City/Haatheq — are in good form. Richard [Hills] has picked to ride Derbaas over Haatheq who has the worse of the draw," the handler at the Grandstand Stables said.
"Derbaas was a real star last season and has been running well again this time round in good races. He should run his usual solid race, while Haatheq made an excellent return in February and will be having only his third run of the season," Al Raihe said.
"First City … won nicely on her first start for us and is having a first race on all-weather. She works nicely enough on it and has a good draw."
