ABU DHABI
DECEMBER 23RD
THE meeting at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club was highlighted by the only thoroughbred race, a mile handicap in which the maximum field of 16 went to post. It was a landmark occasion for Irishman Ronan Whelan in his first full season in the UAE. The rider’s season was halted after a horrible fall at Meydan at the beginning of November.
He was partnering his first local winner on just his 10th ride, producing the Ashley O’Leary-bred Tafaakhor (Dark Angel) to lead in the final strides for Ali Rashid Al Rayhi and Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Whelan said: “Obviously it is great to get that first winner and to be back in the saddle.
“I am very grateful to Mr. Al Rayhi and the whole team at Grandstand Stables; both for the opportunity in the first place and their support when I was injured.”
ABU DHABI
December 16th
The only thoroughbred contest, a mile and a half handicap, provided trainer Ismail Mohammed with a belated first winner of the season. Brass Ring (Rail Link) and Fabrice Veron swooped from last at halfway to lead inside the final half a furlong.
The winner was sold for 200,000gns in 2014 and this was his first win since.
SHARJAH
December 15th
Sharjah staged its penultimate fixture of 2018, highlighted by the only thoroughbred race, the HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup, in which Bois De Boulogne (Street Cry) snatched what had, for much of the race, appeared a most unlikely victory under Emirati apprentice Saeed Al Mazrooei.
Saddled by Sandeep Jadhav for Ahmad Ghalita Almheiri, it was a third career victory for the horse and second in the UAE. Al Mazrooei was opening his account for the campaign.
JEBEL ALI
December 14th
The feature on the penultimate Jebel Ali fixture of 2018, a mile conditions race for three-year-olds, was won emphatically by Draco (Astrology) who was never headed under Chris Hayes for owner Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Trained on the track by Nicholas Bachalard, Draco had impressed when winning a similar event on his local debut over seven furlongs a month earlier. He has now won his last three starts, having landed a maiden at Gulfstream Park on his final US outing in September 2017.
Hayes was clearly impressed and said: “It was my first time riding him in a race, so we decided this morning to ride him positively to see if he actually stays the mile and he certainly has because I could not pull him up.
“He is a lovely horse with loads of options, be it the Jebel Ali Mile or perhaps Meydan and the Dubai World Cup Carnival, but that will be for the trainer to decide.”
The seven-furlong handicap turned out to be a two-horse race. Tadbir was sent straight to the head of affairs by Dane O’Neill with Rocket Power and Connor Beasley in their slipstream. With most rivals beaten off just after halfway, Beasley rousted his mount to lead two furlongs from home and they never looked likely to be denied.
Trained by Ahmad bin Harmash for Mohd Khalifa Al Basti, the winning five-year-old Kyllachy gelding was a course winner over a mile a fortnight earlier.
The longest race on the card, a handicap over nearly 10 furlongs, was won convincingly by Cape Of Eagles (Cape Blanco), saddled by Helal Al Alawi and confidently ridden by Billy Lee for owner Saleh Omar Ali bin Haidar.
The four-year-old colt started the campaign as a maiden before winning a Jebel Ali maiden at the very first meeting of the season on his debut for Al Alawi, having previously been trained by Fawzi Nass.
The mile handicap was run at a scorching gallop with Team Meeting and Sam Hitchcott a dozen lengths clear at halfway. They were finally collared by Fernando Jara and Still Life (Dutch Art) with half a furlong remaining.
The mile maiden was won in dogged fashion by Mandolin Lullaby (Midnight Lute) who, under Xavier Ziani, was left in front on the home turn when early leader Soy Britanico failed to handle the bend. Ziani’s mount was losing her maiden tag at just the second attempt having been beaten more than 50 lengths in a 10-furlong maiden at Meydan the previous week. The winner is owned by Hamad Rashed bin Ghadayer and trained by Sandeep Jadhav.
The Irish-bred Beachcomber Bay (Invincible Spirit) was another winner on the card who was never headed, proving far too good for eight rivals in the finale, a six-furlong maiden. Richard Mullen was in the saddle for Satish Seemar and AC Ellington, the latter opening his account as an owner.
AL AIN
December 13th
Al Ain staged their final meeting of 2018 and the only thoroughbred race, a 10-furlong handicap, was turned into a procession by Mears (Street Cry), saddled by Ali Rashid Al Rayhi for Jumas Mubarak Al Junaibi and ridden by Fernando Jara. It was a second career win for Mears.
ABU DHABI
December 9th
All attention was on the 15 runners in the mile Listed Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup for thoroughbreds at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club. In the predominantly yellow silks of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chris Hayes looked supremely confident on Forjatt, a ten-year-old son of Iffraaj and winner of this race in 2015. Weaving through runners throughout the straight, they hit the front half a furlong out to gain a popular victory for new Jebel Ali Stables trainer Nicholas Bachalard.
Forjatt became the first horse to regain the title; all the more impressive being three years apart.
“He is a great little horse, especially for his age,” Hayes said. That is a brilliant effort from all the team at home to get the old boy back to win this race again.”
AL AIN
December 7th
The only thoroughbred race on the card, a five-furlong handicap, was an absolute thriller with more than half of the 15 runners still in serious contention entering the final furlong. Eqleem was always to the fore down the centre and, having quickened clear a furlong and a half out, was able to hang on grimly. On the line he prevailed by a head from Archaic.
Ridden by Ben Curtis for Musabbeh Al Mheiri, who also saddled the runner-up, Eqleem was having his first start for the yard and second in the ownership of Ahmad Ghalita Almheiri.