Dubai: Winners may have been hard to find for trainer Jaber Ramadhan, but the Bahraini handler was rewarded for his patience and perseverance on Friday afternoon when Raahy ran out a hugely impressive winner of the featured Shadwell Farm Conditions Stakes at Jebel Ali Racecourse.
It was his first success of the season and only the seventh overall in four years but it was one of the sweetest wins of his career as an owner-trainer.
After the race was delayed due to an incident at the starting gates involving international favourite What A Metal, Jebel Ali Stables hopeful Raakeez broke smartly and took hold of the running.
With first-season jockey Ryan Curatolo in the saddle, the pair bowled along merrily up the refurbished dirt track and looked to have every chance with just half-a-furlong to run.
However, it was Raahy who was travelling best under Dutch ace Adrie de Vries and he comfortably went clear to win by a length and a quarter.
Due to the Covid 19 restrictions, we haven’t had the chance to try him (Cross The Ocean) out at the track prior to the race, but he ran well and we’re very happy with him
De Vries, who spends a lot of his time riding in Bahrain, was full of praise for the winner and said: “He’s a nice horse and did whatever I asked him to.
“He’s been training well so we were hopeful coming here. I’m happy for Mr Jaber who does not have a big yard here in Dubai but has a nice handful of horses.”
Meanwhile, Kuwaiti owner-trainer Rashed Bouresly made a successful seasonal debut in the UAE when Imprison ran out a compelling five-length winner of the Arabian Scandinavian Insurance handicap. Favourite Iftitah had to settle for the runner-up slot.
French jockey Fabrice Veron, who has made a bright start to the new season, said the winner gave him an ‘easy ride.’
“He looks like a very nice horse and was a willing partner,” said Veron. “When I asked him for his effort, he responded nicely and put the race to bed. I think he’ll get further, so he looks like a nice horse for the future for Mr. Bouresly.”
Former champion trainer Satish Seemar travelled light to Jebel Ali on Friday, brining just three horses with him, but he still went home with a very nice trophy after Cross The Ocean made a winning career debut in the SIS UK Maiden Stakes.
With Richard Mullen in the saddle, there was little to worry about as the experienced rider nursed the two-year-old to victory, albeit a narrow one. The pair hit the front inside the two furlong marker and although Uncle Hamed was finishing strongly for Pat Dobbs, Cross The Ocean held on to score by a nose.
“You never know how these two-year-olds will run here at Jebel Ali, especially when the hit the hill,” said Seemar.
“Due to the Covid 19 restrictions, we haven’t had the chance to try him out at the track prior to the race, but he ran well and we’re very happy with him.”
The most impressive winner of the afternoon was the Ahmed Bin Harmash-trained Sa’Ada who dominated his 11 rivals, including fancied Rougher, to win the Dubai Real Estate handicap by seven and a quarter lengths.
“He gave me a good feel,” said Dubai World Cup-winning jockey Fernando Jara. “I was able to settle him down after the start and when we hit the front at the 400 metre mark, I knew that he had a lot of running in him. It was an easy win and he is a horse to look forward to for the future.”