THE final Jebel Ali fixture of the season on March 11th was highlighted by the five-furlong Listed Jebel Ali Sprint, and the progressive US-bred Road Bloc was always in control once grabbing the initiative just inside the final furlong.

Partnered by Oscar Chavez for Osama Refai, in the colours of Sayed Hashish and Mrs Hana Refai, the five-year-old gelded son of Street Sense began the season as a maiden, after one start in the USA, making a winning local debut over seven furlongs on the dirt at Meydan.

Two starts later he doubled his tally, over six furlong this time at Sharjah, in the HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup, the first leg of the Emirates Sprint Series. This latest victory was the second, so connections not only won the AED300,000 (€75,000) first prize, but also a bonus of AED250,000 (€63,000) for winning both races.

A delighted Hashish said: “We have had a great season with sprinters, both this one and Colour Up who were first and second over seven furlongs for us in the same race in November. Both have just continued improving and we hoped this straight track would suit Road Bloc, trying five furlongs for the first time. Luckily it has!”

Bred by a partnership in the USA, that included Godolphin, Road Bloc sold as a yearling for $220,000, but last March he sold at the ERA Sale for just AED20,000 (€5,000). He has now won £100,000 more than he cost present connections.

Classic win

The main support race, the Jebel Ali Classic, a seven-furlong conditions contest, went to Naser Askar’s admirable veteran Secret Ambition. The multiple scorer hit the front less than a furlong from home and clung on grimly to complete a double on the card for Bhupat Seemar.

Now a 10-year-old, the entire son of Exceed And Excel has now won 12 times, all bar one of those victories in the UAE for current connections, and these successes date back to a handicap success over this course and distance at the end of October 2016. He also won the 2019 Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile, the 2021 Group 3 Firebreak Stakes, and that year’s Group 2 Godolphin Mile on the Dubai World Cup card, the last time he had visited the winner’s enclosure.

Winning rider Richard Mullen said: “I was struggling early on, but I knew if I could latch on to the leaders he would battle, and that is exactly what he did. He is a jockey’s dream as he always tries so hard.”

For fillies

For three-year-old fillies, the seven-furlong Al Nayfat Stakes, a conditions race, was turned into a procession by Hunting Lady. She was never going to be caught once storming to the front inside the final furlong under Ray Dawson, riding in the colours of Hamdan Sultan Ali Alsabousi for Ahmad bin Harmash.

Previously winless after four starts, the daughter of Munnings’ best previous effort was when third, on the first day of the year, in a six-furlong maiden on her only previous Jebel Ali outing. Bred in the USA by Jim and Tami Grigsby, she was purchased at Ocala last June for $21,000 from Irishman Eddie Woods.

A decent quality mile handicap, the Al Shafar Cup, was won stylishly by the progressive Justice Protecol, whose record now reads four wins and two seconds after six outings this campaign. He was ridden confidently by Fernando Jara in the silks of Saeed Humaid Al Tayer for Ismail Mohammed.

The four-year-old Worksop Manor Stud-bred Time Test colt has now won five times in all, earning more than £50,000, and he was purchased by Rabbah Bloodstock as a yearling for just £7,000 at Goffs UK.

Maiden success

For three-year-olds, the opening mile maiden was snatched close home by debutant Ghazzwaan, who seemed to be travelling well under Tadhg O’Shea before hitting a flat spot inside the final quarter mile. Once he regained momentum, the Saxon Warrior colt, bred by Kirsten Rausing, devoured the ground over the steepest part of the hill to ultimately win cosily for Bhupat Seemar in the colours of Mohammed Khaleel Ahmed.

The trainer said: “He has been a slow learner, and is a very big horse, but he has always shown ability. That is the perfect start to his career.” O’Shea added: “He is potentially a very good horse and could well be Carnival standard next year.” Sold at Goffs as a yearling for €45,000, Ghazzwaan resold at the Tattersalls Craven Sale for 210,000gns.

Debutant Thawban, trained at the adjacent Jebel Ali Stables by Michael Costa for racecourse patron Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was the impressive winner of the Bin Dasmal Cup, a six-furlong maiden, under the owner’s retained jockey Jean Van Overmeire. The three-year-old Good Magic colt quickened to the front about a furlong and a half from home and always looked in control.

Quite confident

Costa said: “He has been showing us plenty at home, so we came here quite confident and he has not let us down.” A $100,000 foal, Thawban sold as a yearling for $400,000 from Paramount Sales.

The final race of the Jebel Ali campaign, a 10-furlong handicap for the Tattersalls Cup, developed into a duel over the final half-furlong, Attribution’s brave attempt to lead throughout thwarted close home by National Bank, Pat Dobbs in the saddle for Doug Watson and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum.

National Bank was winning for the first time in the UAE, and the second time ever, and the five-year-old gelded son of Dubawi is a homebred. His dam, Nargys, was a Group 3 winner who ran second to Just The Judge in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes.

O’Shea’s love for Abu Dhabi

AT consecutive meetings run in the capital Abu Dhabi, Irishman Tadhg O’Shea won the sole race for thoroughbreds on the two programmes.

The six-race card on March 9th concluded with the seven-furlong handicap. While it appeared to be competitive on paper with a capacity field of 14 facing the starter, it was turned into a rout by Nibras Passion.

A five-year-old gelded son of Iffraaj, saddled by Ismail Mohammed for Saeed Humaid Al Tayer, Nibras Passion surged clear with a furlong to race, completing a double on the card for O’Shea. In doing so, the gelding doubled his own career tally, adding this to an equally impressive course and distance maiden success, as a three-year-old, in January 2021.

O’Shea said: “He has always been a nice horse, and has been threatening to get back to winning ways. He really quickened well when I asked him and that was a good performance.” Bred by the Player’s Whatton Manor Stud, Nibras Passion sold for 22,000gns as a yearling at Tattersalls, and the following year was acquired by Rabbah Bloodstock at the same venue for 40,000gns.

Webinar win

A week later and there was a distinct Groundhog Day feeling to the meeting. The concluding mile and a half handicap brought up a double on the day for O’Shea, this time combining with Bhupat Seemar aboard Webinar in the colours of Abdulrahman Salah Al Rashed.

The four-year-old Dubawi gelding has now won two of his five career appearances. Successful in France, this was just his second local outing. He was purchased at Arqana in November for €68,000, and he is a son of the Group 1 winner Blond Me.

Hyde enjoys Al Ain win with O’Neill

AL Ain was another track to have two meetings in the period under review. On March 10th, the only thoroughbred race concluded the seven-race card, a five-furlong handicap dash in which the world famous blue and white Shadwell silks were carried to victory by retained jockey Dane O’Neill aboard Al Hadeer for Irishman John Hyde.

This was just the seven-year-old’s second win in 26 starts, and he opened his account in October with a win at Sharjah. Bred by Joseph Allen, the seven-year-old son of War Front was sold as a yearling for 400,000gns, and has now won just £40,000 back.

Eight days later, again at Al Ain, and Bhupat Seemar saddled five of the 15 runners in a mile maiden, three of them carrying the colours of Al Rashid Stables. They finished first, second and fourth, with Tadhg O’Shea on the disappointing Mezzotino, the highest-rated runner in the field.

Victory went to the Irish-bred Maputo, opening his account at just the fourth attempt, Jose Da Silva in the saddle for the first time. The four-year-old gelded son of Shamardal was bred by Godolphin and sold at the ERA Sale last September for AED200,000 (€50,000). He collected AED42,000 for his first win.

Sharjah

Sunday, March 12th, was Sharjah’s final fixture of the current campaign. The only thoroughbred contest on the card, and the final race of the day, was a 10-furlong handicap. It turned out to be a thriller, Dubai Vision and Ray Dawson ultimately landing the spoils for Ahmad bin Harmash.

Carrying the colours of Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi, the five-year-old Dubai Vision was making his fourth start, the third locally. Bred by Godolphin in the USA, the son of Medaglia D’Oro sold for 10,000gns at the Tattersalls February Sale last year after making a single start at Chelmsford.