Jebel Ali February 9th

IRISH-BRED Just a Penny bounced back to his best form when landing the feature race at Jebel Ali last Friday, a mile handicap on dirt. This was his sixth career victory and all have been at the same venue.

Sent straight to the front by Pat Dobbs, sporting the colours of Mohd Khalifa Al Basti, Just A Penny bowled along in a steady rhythm and before turning for home had most of his nine rivals in trouble. He shot clear two and a half furlongs out and never looked likely to be caught.

“He is a lot better horse when able to get to that rail and out in the lead because he does not like horses on his inside,” trainer Doug Watson said of the six-year-old son of Kodiac, bred by Old Carhue and Graeng Bloodstock . “He seems to come good about this time of year and won on this card two years ago. He has won [from six to nine furlongs] here at Jebel Ali where, when things go his way, he is a good horse. He has probably won a bit too easily today so we will just have to wait and see what the handicapper does before making firm plans.”

The opening 10-furlong handicap saw Dobbs and Watson initiate a double with Hawker (Street Cry), who swooped to the front a furlong and a half from home. Watson said: “He is a fun horse to have around the place and a very sound one we can run a lot. To get two wins out of him this season is great and, maybe, we can find another good opportunity for him.”

Fernando Jara conjured a late challenge from Gavroche (Distorted Humor) to capture the nine-furlong handicap, taking the lead in the shadow of the winning post and repeating their course and distance victory of last March for trainer Maria Ritchie. Jara said: “He has been kept busy and is a tough, honest, horse who tries hard and he needed to today. That was hard work out there but he really battled for me when I needed him to.”

Richard Mullen and Satish Seemar won the mile maiden with Jabir (Congrats) who was opening his account at the fourth attempt, in the process giving his owner a first thoroughbred winner. Mullen said: “It is great for Ali Haddad who is a massive supporter of our yard and UAE racing in general. We will have to try and find another good opportunity for him and, now he has won, hopefully there is more to come from him.”

Jockey and trainer completed a double, courtesy of the Irish-bred Galesburg (Shamardal) who was far too good for his 12 rivals in a seven-furlong handicap. It was also a second winner on the afternoon for Al Bait Mutawahed Team, the owners of Gavroche. Galesburg won at Abu Dhabi five days earlier. “He is a very versatile horse and Richard knows him very well, as he does all our horses,” Seemar said.

The concluding six-furlong handicap attracted the biggest field of the day, with the 16 runners spread all over the track. Pat Cosgrave burst clear aboard the Irish-bred Kowaiyess (Exceed And Excel) a furlong and half from the line. Trained by Helal Al Alawi and having just his second local start, after a fast finishing second over five furlongs at Al Ain, Kowaiyess was also a six-furlong winner at Epsom last September.

ABU DHABI February 11th

Harry Bentley was in the winner’s circle after landing the only thoroughbred race on the card, a mile handicap, on the Donal White-bred Tadween (Tagula) who is owned and trained by Fawzi Nass. A maiden still after 10 previous starts, he was placed in England when trained by Richard Hannon and he is certainly best on the turf. He was second over a mile on the Meydan turf eight days previously.