Top guns to battle for Jebel Ali Stakes
The outstanding South Africans Grand Jete and Proud Classic highlight a top class field assembled for today's Dhs350,000 Listed Jebel Ali Stakes.
The outstanding South Africans Grand Jete and Proud Classic highlight a top class field assembled for today's Dhs350,000 Listed Jebel Ali Stakes.
Grand Jete is a member of the small team sent to campaign in the Emirates by champion South African trainer Mike de Kock, the horse a winner of seven races including the 2000 Grade II Selangor Cup, the 2001 Cape Derby and the Grade II Premier's Trophy in January this year.
Proud Classic proved herself to be among the leading fillies in South Africa winning the Listed Darley Arabian Fillies over 1,600m in July while she was also placed in the Grade II SA Fillies Classic, the Grade I SA Oaks, the Grade II Woolavington Stakes and the Grade II Gold Circle Oaks.
Proud Classic is a member of a strong group of horses formerly prepared in South Africa but now racing in the colours of Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and under the care of Satish Seemar.
A non-runner is the Italian Derby winner Morshdi, the highest rated runner in the 14 horse field.
The South Africans will face strong opposition from those with established UAE form, including Sobieski and West Order, placed behind State Shinto in the inaugural Umm El Dummin at their most recent meeting.
Sobieski has drawn awkwardly in barrier 14 while West Order has drawn perfectly in barrier one and has the speed to take advantage of the draw.
Nadeem, second to Resplendent Star in last year's Jebel Ali Stakes, disappointed when unplaced behind Night Prey over 2,400m however he is clearly better than that and after a thorough veterinary examination nothing was found to be amiss.
He does race particularly well at Jebel Ali and improvement would not surprise.
The Erwan Charpy-trained Dubai World was impressive when resuming in handicap company last start and will have come on for that run while Nowrass, now prepared by Kiaran McLaughlin, returns to the Emirates having shown good form during an American campaign earlier this year.
Last season's champion sprinter Conroy faces his moment of truth when he returns to handicap company earlier in the programme.
John Murtagh has been engaged in the hope he can bring out the best in Conroy, the horse being unplaced in his only two runs so far this season.
