Al Mahbooba simply peerless in Marathon Leg 2

By Duane Fonseca

Doug Watson’s Al Mahbooba made herself favourite to complete the Al Ain Marathon Series triple crown after winning the Second Leg over 4100m by a lengthening 10 and a quarter margin under Pat Dobbs Saturday.

A 7yo Madjani mare, Al Mahbooba had won the first leg over 3200m by three and a quarter lengths and three weeks ago in the hands of Sam Hitchcott and she went longer with even more ease under Dobbs pulling away to win by a massive margin keeping Ibrahim Al Hadhrami’s Ray Dawson ridden Al Thoura back in second place. A further 10 and a quarter behind in third was Abdallah Al Hammadi’s Winked, the ride of Richard Mullen. 

Al Hadhrami and Dawson completed a double in the Falaj Hazza 1600m Conditions run for 5yo and older horses that haven’t won three races, a hard ride getting the best out of SS Izz Dubai late in the race. With just 50m left to run, SS Izz Dubai moved to the front and extended to win by three fourths of a length with Musabbeh Al Mheiri’s Jazeelah second under Antonio Fresu. Four lengths further adrift in third was Hakeem for Salem Al Ketbi and Richard Mullen.

On the other hand, Majed Al Jahoori and Bernardo Pinheiro were denied a second after Sandro Paiva got Mohammed Daggash’s Marmara XM to give more close to home in the Al Masoudi 1000m Conditions sprint, which saw the 7yo Grilla mare adding another to her many course and distance triumphs. AS Qoot was a further four back in third for Khalifa Al Neyadi and Fresu.

Results: Winner (Trainer/Jockey)

Race 1: Shabbat Al Rawdah (1600m maiden): ES Jenjal (Ibrahim Aseel/Gabriele Malune)

Race 2: Al Basrah (1600m maiden): AF Yabarhin (Mahmood Hussain/Connor Planas)

Race 3: Oud Al Touba (2000m maiden): Muthabir (Ibrahim Al Hadhrami/Ray Dawson)

Race 4: Seih bin Amaar (1000m hcp): Algharbi (Abubakar Daud/Fernando Jara)

Race 5: Al Maqam (1000m hcp): Asmaa Al Wathba (Majed Al Jahoori/Bernardo Pinheiro)

Race 6: Wathba Stallions Cup Pvt Owners (1400m hcp): AF Afham (Ernst Oertel/Dane O’Neill)

Race 7: Wathba Stallions Cup Pvt Owners (1400m hcp): Ol Py (Helal Alalawi/Jean van Overmeire)

Race 8: Falaj Hazza (1600m conditions): SS Izz Dubai (Ibrahim Al Hadhrami/Ray Dawson)

Race 9: Al Masoudi (1000m conditions): Marmara XM (Mohammed Daggash/Sandro Paiva)

Race 10: Second Leg of Al Ain Marathon Series (4100m hcp): Al Mahbooba (Doug Watson/Pat Dobbs)