Marathon Series opener headlines seven-race card at Al Ain meet

A seven-race programme is on tap for Al Ain on Friday evening, including six for Purebred Arabians and one for Thoroughbreds.

The best is saved for last, the featured First Leg of the Al Ain Marathon Series, a 3200m handicap with 13 declared, including last year’s winner Hareer Al Reef.

Trained by Abdallah Al Hammadi for Al Ajban Stables, the 7-year-old entire was then third and second in the 4100m Round 2 and the 5100m Final Round, respectively. He has had just one outing this season, never threatening to land a blow over an inadequate 1600m in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 at Meydan.

The mount of Pat Cosgrave, he is joined in the field by stable companion Balad Al Reef, to be ridden by Szczepan Mazur, another regular in these Al Ain staying races, highlighted by three victories in the 5100m Final Leg in 2016, 2017 and again last year. That was in the middle of March, so the 9-year-old entire is returning from a 321-day absence.

Hammadi said: “This has been a target for both horses, who we know conditions suit and stay well. Hareer Al Reef has race fitness on his side and Balad Al Reef is probably better over further these days, but both should run well.”

Heading the weights is Ajjaj, to be ridden by Richie Mullen for Jean de Roualle and Al Wathba Racing. A 9-year-old, he won the second and final rounds in 2018 and was third in the latter last year. His presence, with an official rating of 90, actually means only three of the runners, himself and the aforementioned Al Ajban Stables’ pair, are actually able to compete off their official handicap marks.

Assuming the handicapper has it right, the remaining runners are in deep water, including Loshkar, representing Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda, Ernst Oertel and Tadhg O’Shea, along with Al Asayl’s RB Grynade, Fabrice Veron riding for Eric Lemartinel and UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The Thoroughbred race is a 1600m handicap due to be contested by the maximum allowed field of 15 and, as are the majority of such races staged at Al Ain, ultra-competitive with Initial holding strong claims for Musabbeh Al Mheiri, Al Bait Mutawahed Team and Antonio Fresu.

An 8-year-old gelded son of Invincible Spirit, he seems to have taken a shine to Al Ain, recording the second of his two locals wins last February. He should relish the return to track and trip, the first time he has encountered what appear his optimum conditions since that victory last February.

Fresu said: “He has been running solid races this season apart from his penultimate outing when well beaten here at Al Ain over 2000m when I actually did not ride him. He seems in good form and is handicapped to go close in an open race.”

Satish Seemar saddles two, stable jockey Richie Mullen seemingly preferring Bedaveeya to Refulgence Star, the mount of O’Shea.

Rich And Famous is another to merit a mention. To be ridden by Royston Ffrench for Salem Bin Ghadayer and UAE Minister of Finance and Deputy Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the 6-year-old gelded son of Bernardini has not won since April 2017 when still trained in Britain by Mark Johnston. His 11 UAE starts may have proved winless, but he started the season with a neck second over 1400m at Jebel Ali and was then third, here at Al Ain, over 1000m.

After a total of 20 career starts, this is the first time he has tackled 1600m and just the second occasion he will have run over further than 1400m. On a flat track such as is Al Ain, he should be able to make an impact for the jockey and trainer combination who won last week’s Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile with the exciting Chiefdom.