Sheikh Ahmed, his trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam and stable jockey Oisin Murphy were in great form on their ‘home course’ on Friday, combining to win half of the six Thoroughbred races – highlighted by the repeat win of Forjatt in the featured Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile.
In doing so he became only the second horse to win the race in consecutive years and the third dual winner of the contest.
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It was hard work though with Murphy’s mount hitting the front less than 200m from home, taking over from Silver Galaxy, who fought back under Silvestre De Sousa and threatened to regain the initiative. An appreciative audience roared the combatants on and they flashed across the line together.
A nervous wait ensued before the result was announced, in Forjatt’s favour, by the narrowest of margins and to the delight of the crowd who gave the horse a welcome worthy of Royal Ascot.
Earlier, Dormello, the easy winner of an 1,800m conditions race, initiated the treble by comfortably surging clear in the final 200m to win going away.
Thrilled for the team at Jebel Ali Stables with Dormello, Forjatt and Gobboll winning today. pic.twitter.com/2Z89wuAE1P
— Oisin Murphy (@oisdacm) February 20, 2015
The team’s third winner was Gobooll who landed a 1,400m handicap.
The main support race, the 1,000m Jebel Ali Sprint Prep, provided Muarrab the perfect opportunity to register his sixth course win for owner Sheikh Hamdan and trainer Musabah Al Muhairi.
Mudallal Al Reef won the opening 1,800m conditions contest, the only Purebred Arabian contest on the card, ridden by De Sousa and a first winner, at the 154th attempt, for trainer Khalifa Al Neyadi.
The following 1,950m conditions race was won by Diwaan, who was winning his fourth consecutive outing for trainer Doug Watson and jockey Pat Dobbs.
And Brazen, running under Tadhg O’Shea, was a first Thoroughbred winner of the season for Salem Al Ketbi – the pair landing a 1,200m handicap.
