Reigning Jebel Ali Sprint title holder, Muarrab, will be extremely hard to beat in this season’s renewal in March if the manner of his winning reappearance on Friday afternoon is anything to go by.
Facing just three rivals, but no slouches themselves, in a 1,200m conditions race he annihilated them, shooting clear at halfway under Dane O’Neill and fully eight lengths clear of Nawwaar as he eased over the line.
Riding for his main employer, Sheikh Hamdan, O’Neill was clearly impressed by the performance of the Musabah Al Muhairi-trained horse.
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“He was entitled to win on the figures but you never know how they will go first time back,” said O’Neill. “That was impressive; he showed he is a good sprinter last season and was very good today. I guess the Jebel Ali Sprint will be the target again.”
Muarrab has now won seven of eight career starts at Jebel Ali with his stamina, or lack of it, for 1,400m seemingly the cause of his sole course defeat, on his very first visit.
O’Neill went on to complete a double for himself and Sheikh Hamdan by landing the concluding 1,000m handicap on Mushaakis, saddled by Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
The official feature was a conditions event over 1,800m and Farrier beat stable companion Mawhub to post a 1-2 for Satish Seemar.
Muarrab carries on where he left off last year and wins race 5 in a canter. pic.twitter.com/yU8zEdb4Lu
— Erika R. Photography (@erikar_photos) November 27, 2015
Stable jockey Richard Mullen rode the winner, scoring for the first time since landing the equivalent race two years ago when it was over 1,950m.
It was also contested over the longer trip 12 months ago, when Farrier was second.
Mullen said: “He does seem to run his best races first time and Mawhub also goes well fresh so we thought we had two good chances.”
Doug Watson and Pat Dobbs combined to win the first two races, a 1,400m maiden and 1,950m handicap, with Tadarrok and Busatto respectively.
“The horses have been running well and we expected both to at least go very close,” said Watson.
