A good morning for Seemar at Jebel Ali

Ed Marnane

Champion trainer Bhupat Seemar has dominated the sprint division this season in the UAE, thanks to the victories of stable star and the Emirates top sprinter Tuz in the Al Garhoud Sprint and Dubawi Stakes.

Morning, winner of the valuable HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup at Sharjah, has made a valuable contribution to the yard’s success and can advertise his claims in the Jebel Ali Sprint (Listed) next month at Jebel Ali racecourse on Saturday.

By Munnings, he is among 11 sprinters declared for the Jebel Ali Sprint Prep and holds strong claims of registering his first win at the track on his third appearance and taking his tally in the Emirates to five.

Rated 102, Morning arrives at the top of his game, winning a competitive handicap under top-weight at the Dubai Racing Carnival at Meydan last month.

Rawy, last year’s winner, returns looking for back-to-back wins in the 1000m event on his second start for Doug Watson.

He was entitled to need his recent comeback in the Dubawi Stakes, when running fifth behind Tuz. He can easily bounce back to form dropped in grade and holds solid claims.

Salem bin Ghadayer’s Torivega, who began his career in Ireland, made an immediate impact on his local/dirt debut at Jebel Ali last month, winning a minor event under Bernardino Pinheiro.

Sent off a warm favourite for the 1200m contest, he showed a likeable attitude for pressure to prevail to get the better of Energetic and lightly raced maiden Ocean Runner. He will need to raise his game in a deeper race to follow up and makes limited appeal.

Of the rest, Mozahim is one to consider. Representing Michael Costa, the season’s leading trainer at Jebel Ali, he ran well behind the progressive Billy Webster at the track earlier in the campaign. He never threatened behind Major Cinnamon in a handicap, over the same course and distance, dropping away in the closing stages to finish eighth earlier in January.

Winner of three of his seven races at Jebel Ali, Mozahim holds each-way claims if he can rediscover his best form over his favourite track.

Race 5, the Jebel Ali Mile Prep, has attracted a big field of 14 and Alfareeq, winner of the 2023 Group 1 Jebel Hatta is the class act of the race and having his first run at the track since finishing a creditable third in the Jebel Ali Classic four years ago.

Now eight years old, Shadwell’s homebred showed he retained his enthusiasm when a close fifth in the National Day Cup (Listed) at Abu Dhabi in early December. It is easy to forgive his effort behind the impressive First Conquest, trained by Charlie Appleby, in the competitive Lord North Handicap eight days ago.

Always handy, he failed to quicken and was beaten less than 11 lengths by Godolphin’s unexposed and exciting four-year-old. From a stable enjoying a fine season, he commands plenty of respect.

Simon and Ed Crisford’s Swing Vote won the race 12 months ago en-route to Jebel Ali Mile glory and Strobe and Majestic Pride carry the hopes of the father and son training partnership.

Of the pair, preference is for the latter, a first mount in the UAE for Irish rider Ross Coakley. Owned by Rabbah Racing, Strobe has run with credit in two starts this season, the most recent when a respectable third behind Tuz in the Dubawi Stakes. He is open to improvement going up to 1600m and is one to consider.

Fragile six-year-old Sadaaty, having only his sixth run of his career, is Ben Coen’s choice of the Costa runners. Winner of two of his four races at Jebel Ali, he has been on the sidelines since finishing lame when beaten 24 lengths in a handicap at the track in November. He’s a leading player if Costa has nursed him back to full health in a race many can be readily dismissed.

Laasudood, trained by Seemar, impressed winning a handicap at Jebel Ali two starts ago. Sent off favourite for a handicap at Meydan next time, he can be forgiven having got hampered early and was shuffled back to the rear before finishing a ninth of 12 behind the shock winner Crown Estate.

He warrants respect and has the services of Tadhg O’Shea, the UAE’s 12-time champion jockey.

On the official figures Jahoori has plenty to find but comes in good heart having run well behind Seemar’s fast-improving Musical Dancer at Jebel Ali three weeks ago. He’s very unexposed on dirt and could reward each-way players at decent odds.

Race 6, the 1800m maiden, looks a good opportunity for Fawzi Nass to welcome a first winner of the season. Naas, 0-23, has endured poor season and his horses have been struggling for form.

He saddles 89-rated Tactical Bound and the four-year-old makes plenty of appeal of opening his account at the eighth time of asking. His latest run when second to Gaassid, over the course, was a respectable effort, given he was slowly away and heavily bumped by another runner.

Lightly raced Inner Wisdom heads the list of dangers for Musabbeh Al Mheiri. He showed promise on his dirt/local debut behind Alsayel at Meydan last month following an eight-month break. He’s open to plenty of improvement and should be in the mix on his Jebel Ali debut.

A field of nine go to post for Race 3, the 1200m conditions race for three-year-olds. Sir Harmony looks the answer in the hands of Connor Beasley, the season’s leading rider, for his main employer, Ahmed bin Harmash.

The US-bred colt earned a 2.5kg penalty for his recent win, over the same course and distance 12 days ago. Always travelling strongly, he readily quickened clear of his seven rivals and crossed the lead nearly four lengths ahead of the reopposing Military Order. He’s hard to oppose and is fancied to give weight and beating to his eight rivals.

BEST BET

Race 3 No 1 Sir Harmony

VALUE BET

Race 6 No 5 Inner Wisdom

BEST SWINGER

Race 4: 5-Morning and 8-Rawy

Jackpot

[Races 4-7]

R48

Leg 1: 5

Leg 2: 1, 7, 12, 14

Leg 3: 5, 6, 7

Leg 4: 2, 3, 5, 6