Trainers Ali Rashid Al Raihe and Doug Watson both saddled doubles at Jebel Ali Friday afternoon but the feature race stayed ‘at home’ with Forjatt landing the Jebel Ali Mile Prep.
Owned by racecourse patron Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and trained by Dhruba Selvaratnam, Forjatt has now won all three of his starts this season, ridden by Chris Hayes each time.
Winner of the Listed National Day Cup, over the same 1600 metre trip as this win but on turf at Abu Dhabi, Forjatt started his season with a win in preparation.
Winner of the Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile in 2014, he also passed the post in front in the same race last year, only to test positive for a prohibited substance and be disqualified.
Conceding weight to his seven rivals, he had to fight hard to win this and Hayes said: “It was a really gutsy performance. He is a really nice horse who goes well here obviously but is perhaps even better on turf.
“I do not know but I guess the Jebel Ali Mile in two weeks will be next but it would be lovely to try him at the Meydan Carnival on turf.”
Watson made the perfect start to the afternoon, landing both the first two races with Pat Dobbs excellent aboard Hakim in the opener, a 1600m conditions race and only Purebred Arabian race on the card.
The pair always looked to have things under control but Dobbs waited until the 300m pole before committing for home.
Irish-bred horses won all 5 races @ Jebel Ali today, led by FORJATT (IRE) in Jebel Ali Mile Prep under @chrishayes24 pic.twitter.com/prYrS657fq
— ITM (@IREthoroughbred) January 8, 2016Watson was back in the winner’s enclosure soon, this time greeting Ostaad and Paul Hanagan, riding for his main employer, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, after the 1950m handicap. He won in similar style to Hakim, with both jockeys earning plaudits from Watson. He said: “We thought both horses had big chances but the jockeys gave them great rides.
“Ostaad is a real character and certainly not the easiest – even getting the saddle on him was a battle. We hoped he would stay but Paul was very patient and gave him every chance to do so.
“It was a similar story with Hakim; he too was trying a longer trip and Dobbsie sat on him. His work has been very good but it has taken us a little while to work him out.”
There were two 1400m handicaps on the card with Al Raihe, having enjoyed a four-timer at the Meydan Carnival on Thursday, winning both.
First up was Beachy Head, ridden by stable jockey Tadhg O’Shea, himself in treble form at Meydan, before apprentice Manuel Fernandes steered Lake Hawk to victory in the finale. For the horse, it was a first win at the 28th attempt.
The other winner on the card was Art Wave, making it three wins from three starts this season for trainer Musabah Al Muhairi.
Fernando Jara, in his first season as stable jockey for the yard, seems to get on particularly well with the horse who, in the past, had shown wayward tendencies when asked to win a race.
That has not been the case this season and his trainer was mooting the Listed Jebel Ali Sprint, run over 1000m, as a potential target in March.
