Gulf today, Journalist

Friday’s penultimate meeting of 2021 at Jebel Ali Racecourse featured a pair of quality handicaps, challenged by Dubai World Cup carnival hopefuls and contenders, the first, over 1400m, was dominated by Shadwell whose six runners provided the top three at home, Almoreb in the lead. under Antonio Fresu.

He is coached by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, as is runner-up Shajjy who led for most of the race with Doug Watson’s Fanaar taking third place.

A 7-year-old gelding son of Raven’s Pass, Almroreb actually had his first start for Mheiri after winning twice last season for Ali Rashid Al Rayhi. He was also successful three times in Great Britain for Richard Hannon.

Silks Shadwell had benefited from a double Meydan the night before, including Moqarrab, associated with Fresu to clinch a handicap of 1400m for Al Mheiri.

The second such handicap was over 1800m and won easily by Prevent, securing a quick double for the budding partnership of Ahmad Bin Harmash and Ray Dawson who had also clinched the previous handicap of 1950m.

In a field of just six, Prevent ran in second until he was sent home at 400m and, even as Monoski got closer as he approached the line, Dawson’s mount was still doing enough. to win the day.

Now owned by Ahmad Ghalita Almheiri, a 6 year old Poet’s Voice gelding, Prevent has had a career of something of a “companion” and, for his second local start and since joining Harmash this year, has now won five times. after scoring twice in Great Britain and more recently Scandinavia.

On the longest course currently practiced in Jebel Ali, 1950m, a handicap followed the same pair, combining with Zucchini, owned by the young son of the trainer, Hamdan Harmash.

Settled in third place of the 12 starters, the 6-year-old Dubawi gelding was invited to challenge halfway up the long straight, reaching the front with around 300m remaining with the safe race entering the final 150m. .

It was a first success in the United Arab Emirates for the horse which in fact doubled its career total after having already tasted victory in France, for Godolphin and André Fabre, in November 2017.

A solitary race of Arabian Thoroughbred, a 1400m maiden for locally foaled horses, kicked off, contested by a 16-capacity field, but turned into a duel in the last 200 m when Arim W’Rsan took over from AF Mutakafel, only to have this rival fight for victory practically on the line.

However, drama ensued when stewards awarded Arim W’Rsan in a subsequent investigation, Richrd Mullen, wearing the colors of Sheikh Hazza Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Jaci Wickham the beneficiaries.

At 5, the eventual winner was only on his fifth career start and, for his Jebel Ali debut, relied on two third places over 1,200m so far this season, on turf in Abu Dhabi, land in Sharjah.

Very few septuorians lined up in a first 1,200m for 3 years have ever really managed to strike a blow with the seasonal rookie No Limits, having followed the pace of the start, hired for the house shortly after the halfway point by Tadhg O ‘ Shea and never will be. caught, scoring for Bhupat Seemar in the colors of Nasar Askar.

Bought by its owner at 2 years old at Tattersalls for 70,000 gns in June 2020, the gelding Siyouni ran four times as a juvenile last season, his best effort when he was runner-up in a competition in decent conditions during its penultimate departure in mid-February.

Shadwell was able to celebrate another brace after Tashaaboh’s relatively comfortable success in a 1000m handicap, with Dane O’Neill still seemingly happy, the pair greeted by a delighted Erwan Charpy.