By Duane Fonseca
Jebel Ali Racecourse set out to partake in UAE National Day celebrations with a dual feature card Saturday afternoon, but neither could match the excitement dished out by Flying Hunter in a maiden run for juveniles.
Four went to post in the 1400m run, with Emirati handler Ahmad bin Harmash saddling the winner and Mr Raj. Breaking half a step slower, the Maclean’s Music colt found himself content with chasing the pace set by his stable companion, who went forward quickly under Saif Al Balushi and won the lead off Sadik.
If Al Balushi and Mr Raj thought they had all but sealed victory after finding themselves well clear with 400m left they were wrong as Dawson suddenly got Flying Hunter to step into overdrive. As the climb got serious, Flying Hunter got better, wearing Mr Raj down and wiping off as many as four lengths to finish three clear at the post.
A further six behind Mr Raj was Lahresh for trainer Musabbeh Al Mheiri and Antonio Fresu.
The first of the co-feature events on the programme was The Union 51 Cup, a 1400m handicap that was won by Ahmed Al Shemaili’s Adrie de Vries-ridden Ibra Attack, who had shed his maiden tag partnering the same rider a fortnight ago.
Having secured the lead, the 4yo Dialed In colt held on as the Bhupat Seemar schooled pair of Bochart and Miller’s House closed in just before the finish to take second and third.
The second co-feature event was the 1950m handicap that brought the curtains down on the afternoon was won by Seemar, whose first choice rider Tadhg O’Shea supplied victory by bringing Rakeez to frank his form over course and distance.
Like Ibra Attack, Rakeez had won a fortnight ago and this two and a half lengths win over Daramethos was when taking a step up in class.
A 1400m maiden for Purebred Arabians got the card underway and witnessed Khalifa Al Neyadi’s Meeqat picking up his first career success on his fifth attempt, Saif Al Balushi guiding the AF Albahar gelding a neck clear of Ernst Oertel’s AF Ferstuq the ride of apprentice Marcelino Rodrigues.
Emirati handler Salem bin Ghadayer enjoyed a double, Royston Ffrench bringing him his first aboard Onda Ruggente in the 1200m handicap, the pair racing along the inside rail to comfortably see off the challenge of Jebel Ali resident trainer Michael Costa’s homeschooled Razeemm, the ride of Jean van Overmeire.
Two races later, Bin Ghadayer’s second string Tolmount landed the Dubai Real Estate Centre 1600m handicap under Xavier Ziani with another determined effort.
On a good day for Emirati conditioners Musabbeh Al Mheiri was not to be denied and witnessed Dignity Joy winning the Commercial Bank of Dubai 1200m handicap under a hard ride from jockey Antonio Fresu. Dignity Joy’s win was a second for owner Elbashir Salem Elhrari, who also owns Ibra Attack.
