Unbeaten Fadwaan makes light work of rest in Al Ain Derby

By Duane Fonseca

Ahmed Al Mehairbi trained Fadwaan’s brilliant form among this year’s Classic generation of Purebred Arabians continued with yet another cosy triumph in the PA Prestige Al Ain Derby, a victory that saw him stretch his career unbeaten streak to four wins in as many starts.

The 4yo AF Albahar colt won the Abu Dhabi Colts Classic and the Emirates Colts Classic over 1400m and 1600m turf strips in the UAE capital on his last two starts after debuting with success in a 1600m maiden at Al Ain in December. And given more to run suited his cause perfectly in the Al Ain Derby as jockey Antonio Fresu raced him just off the pace set by Majed Al Jahoori’s Bernardo Pinheiro driven Najm Al Wathba.

In the straight, after Fresu gave him his orders, Fadwaan dug in momentarily to seize the lead and thereafter cruised to get away comfortably and win by two and a quarter lengths, with Najm Al Wathba’s Jean de Roualle schooled Wathba Racing teammate Zaidan Al Wathba stole the runners up spot in the hands of Dane O’Neill. Najm Al Wathba was a further two and a half back in third.

That was Fresu’s second success on the card and came sandwiched in between two winners he rode for chief employer Musabbeh Al Mheiri. The trainer-jockey pair’s first was brought by Al Murtajel, who showed he had plenty left in the tank in the Wathba Stallions Cup Private Owners Series 1800m handicap, when he emptied all to get away late from Ibrahim Al Hadhrami’s Shareek, the ride of Ray Dawson, and win by two and a quarter lengths.

Fresu’s treble was completed in the Al Masoudi aboard Jazeelah, who ran home unchallenged in the 1600m handicap to win by four lengths from Hamad Al Marar’s Rowan Scott piloted ES Abu Mousa.

Al Mheiri’s Emirati compatriot Al Mehairbi also celebrated a double as Surf Al Maury cruised to a three and a half length success under Fernando Jara in the Al Khobaisi 1600m maiden, the penultimate race at Al Ain, where Fresu was denied a fourth win as he finished second aboard Ahmed Al Shemaili’s Zayest.

Gabriele Malune got proceedings underway winning the 2000m Al Jahili maiden aboard Abdallah Al Hammadi’s Oboe, who managed to steal the lead off Khalifa Al Neyadi’s Ghassan, the ride of Amur Al Rasbi, close to the finish, while Khalifa Al Mazrouei picked up a first win this term after Omani raider Noor Jalan won the Al Hili 1600m handicap under Jesus Rosales by three and a half lengths from fellow Omani traveller Majeedah Muscat, trained by Al Hadhrami and guided by Ray Dawson.

UAE Champion Jockey Tadhg O’Shea added to his weekend tally - having scored five times at Abu Dhabi on Thursday - in the card closing Zakhir 1400m handicap, where he guided Jaber Bittar’s Bashasha Al Reef to a big margin win.