Al Tariq for Jebel Ali triumph

Ed Marnane

It was a slow start for the season for champion trainer Doug Watson but he has enjoyed a welcome return to form, sending out four winners in January, highlighted by the victory of San Donato in the Zabeel Mile, Group 2. He can continue his bright start to 2024 by winning the Emirates Airline Cup Jebel Ali Sprint prep with Al Tariq at Jebel Ali on Saturday.

Al Tariq, winner of the 2021 Jebel Ali Sprint (Listed), has progressed with racing since returning from his summer break and nearly caused a big upset in a valuable handicap at Meydan in late December, just failing to hold the late challenge of Morning. The Oasis Dream gelding, to be ridden by Pat Dobbs, can take the prize and record his third victory in five appearances at Jebel Ali.

On official ratings, Rawy enters calculations with a mark of 105, the highest ranked runner in the line-up. However, he has run poorly since joining Musabbeh Al Mheiri from Salem bin Ghadayer, trailing a long way behind in both the Dubai Dash and Dubawi Stakes. He returns to Jebel Ali for his first outing since finishing second in a maiden two years ago.

Al Tariq’s stable companion Khuzaam, winner of the Jebel Ali Sprint two years ago, is a smart sprinter on his day but has had his training problems. He has plenty to prove now having shown little on his seasonal debut at Abu Dhabi.

Of the others, Story Of Light makes most appeal under Conor Beasley, the season’s top rider. He’s effective at Jebel Ali and his form figures at track read 2133. He won’t lack for fitness and hails from a yard enjoying a terrific season.

A field of nine go to post for the Jebel Ali Mile prep, race 5. Swing Vote, trained by Simon & Ed Crisford, made an encouraging start to his UAE career when landing a valuable handicap, over the course and distance, four weeks ago. He has the measure of the reopposing course winners Tenbury Wells, Delorean and Justice Protecol on that form and is fancied to confirm the places. Swing Vote, a lightly raced gelding, looks the one to beat under the in-form Adrie de Vries, replacing Christian Demuro.

Michael Costa can win the three-year-old conditions race with Turjman, the mount of Tom Marquand who has secured the ride with Ben Coen currently suspended. Rated 87, he clearly sets the standard and was never out of second gear when opening his account at Jebel Ali earlier in the month.

Costa and Marquand team up with Makfoul, the top-weight in the final race, the 1950m handicap. The lightly raced gelding showed minor promise for Newmarket-based Simon & Ed Crisford two years ago. He broke his duck in a modest maiden at Al Ain two starts back, winning easily under Ben Coen.

He ran with credit behind Watch My Six on his handicap debut at Meydan, keeping one one-paced to finish less than seven lengths behind the Fawzi Nass-trained winner. This looks a good opportunity for Makfoul over a track his trainer has been in red-hot form all winter.

Dubawi Sands, representing Doug Watson, has been on the sidelines since finishing a respectable fourth at Jebel Ali 12 months ago, and is one to consider in the hands of Pat Dobbs. The son of Dubawi has improved since being gelded and switches to Jebel Ali, having shown little at Meydan in two appearances after arriving in the Emirates.

Coast Sky, a four-time winner at Jebel Ali, caused a big surprise when landing a nine-runner handicap here last month, his first start for Ahmad bin Harmash. He may struggle to follow-up in a stronger race off a career-high mark.

Earlier on the card, the mile maiden looks a weak affair and El Introvertido can shed his maiden tag at the eighth attempt. Trained by Fawzi Nass, he showed promise in three runs in Argentina before being sold to race in the UAE.

He has progressed steadily with racing since arriving and finished a solid third behind Keffaaf over 1800m, shaping as he would be suited by the step down in distance having travelled strongly before keeping on one-paced in the closing stages.

Race 2, the opening handicap, over 1200m, is a tricky contest and most of the runners are out of form. A comment that doesn’t apply to Atlantic Sky, runner-up in his last two runs, both at Jebel Ali. Musabbeh Al Mheiri’s six-year-old is fancied to mount a bold bid.

The biggest threat is likely to come from Al Muzen, trained by his owner Salman Alsabri. He left a modest UAE debut well behind when third behind Alla Mahlak earlier in the month.

Bhupat Seemar’s Dukedom completes the shortlist getting weight from his eight rivals.

He’s closely matched with Al Muzen on their running two weeks ago and is likely to be suited by the step back to 1200m. He has fallen in the ratings and is well treated on the pick of his best form.

SELECTIONS

Race 1

1 AL MUSHAHAR 2 BILAL DE MONLAU 13 JINA’AN 12 DALAL ALAWDA

Race 2

2 ATLANTIC SKY 4 AL MUZN 9 DUKEDOM 1 KIARAAD

Race 3

1 TURJMAN 4 KING OF LUCK 6 MENHAAD 3 HOBALSALAM

Race 4

1 AL TARIQ 8 STORY OF LIGHT 7 RAWY 5 KHUZAAM

Race 5

8 SWING VOTE 9 TENBURY WELLS 7 STREET MOOD 3 DELOREAN

Race 6

10 EL INTROVERTIDO 7 SIKORSKY 9 THE MAGICAL MCCOOL 5 NIBRAS WORLD

Race 7

1 MAKFOUL 2 DUBAWI SANDS 3 POSTER PAINT 7 ALDHAJA

Best Bet: 1 Al Tariq [Race 4]

Best Value: 7 Street Mood [Race 5]

Best Swinger: 1 Al Tariq and 8 Story Of Light [Race 4]

JACKPOT

(Races 4 to 7)

R32

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 3, 7, 8, 9

Leg 3: 7, 10

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 7