THE second fixture of the new UAE racing season was staged at Jebel Ali last Saturday, featuring a good quality six-furlong handicap sponsored by Shadwell.

The ‘home runner’ Mouheeb won most impressively for racecourse patron Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and was a notable success for both his new trainer and stable jockey, Michael Costa and Jean Van Overmeire.

The result was never in doubt from halfway, Mouheeb cantering in behind the leaders before being unleashed about two furlongs from home. On his first start for 224 days, Mouheeb was never going to be caught.

A four-year-old Flatter colt, Mouheeb won over the same course and distance on his debut at two, and won the following year’s Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas over a mile at Meydan. After that he was somewhat disappointing. Costa said: “Obviously it is great to get ‘the monkey off the back’ at the first meeting, and it is very pleasing to see this horse bounce back.

“I am elated because I was a bit nervous ahead of today, but that was great. Hopefully we can get him to the Carnival now and he seems versatile regarding trip. I have to be so grateful to His Highness Sheikh Ahmed for this amazing opportunity and it is exciting.”

Double up

Another six-furlong handicap followed and the same trio of connections were celebrating a rapid course and distance double, this time Van Overmeire was never headed aboard the four-year-old Godolphin-bred Yajaarib, who doubled his career tally and made it third time lucky in the UAE. The son of Iffraaj previously won for William Haggas over seven furlongs at Thirsk in June 2021.

A near 10-furlong handicap provided champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea and the trainers’ champion, Bhupat Seemar, with the perfect opportunity to open their tallies for the new campaign, Tapitution scoring in determined style for HRH Prince Sultan bin Mishal Al Saud. A five-year-old entire son of Construction, he made a winning local debut at Meydan last December. He raced twice in the USA.

A capacity field of 16 was due to face the starter in the opening seven-furlong maiden, but three withdrawals at the start whittled down the field. Whether that affected the final result we will never know, but Sam Hitchcott delivered Anbar to lead close home and land the spoils in the colours of Al Rashid Stables for Doug Watson. The four-year-old son of Bodemeister was gaining his first success at the seventh attempt.

Déjà vu

There was a distinct sense of déjà vu half an hour later when Hitchcott produced an almost carbon copy winning ride on Boston George for the same connections in a seven-furlong handicap.

Having raced in midfield throughout the first half of the race, Hitchcott started to edge closer before unleashing his mount for home inside the final furlong, the pair gaining the initiative close home to deny stable companion Mayaadeen.

Twice a winner on the all-weather at Newcastle when trained by Keith Dalgleish, this was a first local win, at the ninth attempt, for the five-year-old gelded son of Raven’s Pass who was bred by Godolphin.

Watson completed a treble in the concluding mile handicap, Pat Dobbs producing the Newsells Park Stud-bred Coast Sky with a perfect late challenge for Sky Racing. This is a second career win in 17 starts for the son of Kodiac and the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile runner-up Lady Darshaan.

Hyde and O’Neill combine successfully

SHARJAH Longines Racecourse concluded a busy first three days of the new UAE season with six races on Sunday, highlighted by a 10-furlong handicap, the HE Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Cup for purebred Arabians, won in determined fashion by Hakaam, a third winner on the card for Al Wathba Racing and completing doubles for trainer Jean de Roualle and jockey Dane O’Neill.

The latter went on to complete a treble in the concluding six-furlong handicap on dirt, the sole thoroughbred race on the card. This was on Shadwell’s Al Hadeer who went straight to the front and was clear at halfway. The six-year-old gave his trainer, Irishman John Hyde, a winner with his first runner of the season.

It was a first career success on his 20th start for the gelded son of War Front, bred by Joe Allen in the USA, but it was a well-deserved victory after Al Hadeer twice finished runner-up over this course and distance last season, as well as filling the same position in Al Ain in March.

Untold Secret goes in at Al Ain

THE 2022/23 UAE racing season kicked off at Al Ain on Friday last, with just one of the seven races on the card for thoroughbreds.

Only four went to post for that mile handicap, three from the same yard, but it produced a thrilling finish nonetheless, Xavier Ziani coaxing the 10-year-old Untold Secret to lead in the final strides for trainer Salem bin Ghadayer and owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed.

The winning owner and trainer were responsible for three of the four runners, the odd one out being Royal Touch, trained by Bhupat Seemar, who was denied in the final strides. Bred by Cheveley Park Stud, the winning son of Shamardal, successful for the eighth time and seventh locally, was a smart three-year-old in France when trained by André Fabre, running second to Sumbal in the Group 2 prix Greffulhe.

The winning rider said: “Full credit to the horse because I was not sure I was going to get there, but he always knew he would! He is a lovely old horse who can teach us all a thing or two.”