Final Races for the Season at Al Ain
16 March 2019, Al Ain, UAE ~ the final round of the Al Ain Marathon Series, a 5100m Prestige handicap, was the official feature at Al Ain on Saturday, 15 March 2019, and was won for a third time in four years by Balad Al Reef, saddled by Abdallah Al Hammadi for Al Ajban Stables, the pairing also responsible for runner-up, Hareer Al Reef. First contested in 2015, Balad Al Reef (Bibi De Carrere) landed the severe stamina test in both 2016 and 2017 before disappointing when only fourth last year when the race was won by Ajjaj, third here having found conceding lumps of weight to his ten rivals a bridge too far.
Ridden for the first time by Szczepan Mazur, fresh from landing the Group 1 Emirates Championship at Abu Dhabi yesterday on BF Mughader, the 8-year-old was put to sleep out the back before making smooth progress halfway around the final bend when stable companion Hareer Al Reef had taken the initiative under Elione Chaves. Mazur’s mount looked likely to win easily, but having entered the long straight on the inside of his stablemate and locked on the far rail, once in front he made a beeline for the nearside rail, forfeiting considerable ground and offering Chaves’ mount a glimmer of hope. However, once on the rail, he ran on strongly.
“I was happy to let him drift because he has done it before, so I was expecting it and there was little point fighting him,” Mazur said. “Once we regained our momentum he was always going to win and clearly relishes these marathon stamina tests.”
Balad Al Reef Win Video
Restricted to the classic 4-year-old generation foaled here in the UAE, the 1800m Al Ain Derby, a Prestige conditions race, was won in gritty fashion by Maktoob, representing the powerful Al Asayl combination of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his trainer, Eric Lemartinel. Pat Cosgrave was in the saddle. In providing his powerful connections a first win in the race, inaugurated in 2016, the colt was doubling his career tally, on his seventh start and fourth on dirt, having won his penultimate start in a course and distance maiden before finishing tailed off over 1700m at Sharjah.
“The last time I rode him, I went too early and was caught over this course and distance,” Cosgrave said. “I learned my lesson from that so took my time a bit more today and, in fairness to the horse, he has run on gamely and all the way to the line. I rode him at Sharjah after his victory, but that was just eight days between races, so I’m not sure if it was the surface or the quick return to action he had a three week break before this which has obviously suited him.”
Having posted local winner 505 aboard AF La’Asae in the finale at Abu Dhabi yesterday to become the UAE’s winning-most jockey, Tadhg O’Shea wasted no time adding to his record mark, registering a comfortable victory in the opening 1600m handicap on AF Al Baher (AF Al Buraq), like his historic success trained by Ernst Oertel for Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda. In a race restricted to horses in private ownership, O’Shea was happy to track AF Al Mehleb until setting sail for home fully 700m out with his mount, a homebred 6-year-old, soon opening up a decisive gap before galloping strongly to the line. Third on his latest two outings, he won his previous one, a 2000m handicap, under O’Shea. This was his third career victory, all on this course, having also landed a maiden over 1800m on just his second career outing, in December 2017.
“This horse deserved another win because he has been running well but finding a few too good, in his last two races,” Oertel said. “We were all delighted to help Tadhg break the record because he is very much part of our team.”
An hour later, connections were celebrating a double after a 1400m maiden for those foaled locally was won comfortably by AF Mekhbatby the same stallion, originally first reserve but took full advantage of a late berth in the starting stalls. The maximum field allowed of 15 may have gone to post, but only three ever really mattered with early leader, Saarookh passed 600m out by Marayah, that soon lost the initiative to the winner and the runner-up position was snatched back from her close home by Saarookh.
O’Shea said: “I have won on my last three rides in these colours now and we have all had a great season, but I am just very fortunate to ride for Mr Al Nabooda and Ernst.”
The only Thoroughbred contest was a 2600m handicap and it produced a carbon copy of an identical course and distance from a month ago when Jamesian went clear at the top of the long Al Ain straight, only to be caught in the final 100m by Secret Trade. The ending was the same on this ride with Secret Trade under Antonio Fresu taking the lead from Jamesian in the final strides, now having three wins for his three most recent outings.
Fresu completed a double, but in totally contrasting fashion, when never headed aboard the very promising Ghazwan Al Kalediah (Jalood Al Khalidiah) in a 1000m handicap with the pair, having broken smartly from the stalls, soon at the head of affairs and staying on strongly to win a tad cosily.
Trained in Al Ain at the The National Stables by Helal Al Alawi for Abu Dhabi racing, the now 7-year-old made a winning debut in November over 1400m, on his local track but was then beaten over that course and distance, as well as over the same trip at Jebel Ali. Reverting to 1000m, again at Al Ain, four weeks ago, he ran out a tidy winner but was, arguably, more impressive here and appears progressive.
Al Alawi said: “We tried him at Jebel Ali over 1400m but that did not really work out but we think he is a very nice horse and we will try him in stronger company at Abu Dhabi on the turf so we know how to campaign him next season. We were very patient with him and he won first time here, over 1400m, but is now looking a genuine sprinter and is a horse we have always really liked.”
Bernardo Pinheiro was soon able to get debutante Jayide Al Boraq (Burning Sand) to the head of affairs in the 1600m maiden and, despite looking about to get swallowed up as several tried to challenge exiting the home turn, the pair were probably never passed. A 5-year-old mare, trained by Khalifa Al Neyadi for Al Wasl Racing, celebrating their second ever winner and this season, she showed a wonderfully determined attitude.
Pinheiro said: “The trainer told me to positive on her because she would keep galloping for me and that is exactly what she has done.”