Ed Marnane
Connor Beasley the season’s leading rider and has ridden 30 winners, seven clear of Tadhg O’Shea, the reigning champion and the winningmost rider in the history of racing in the Emirates.
Beasley, retained by Ahmad bin Harmash, travels to Jebel Ali on Saturday with a strong book of rides and teams up with his boss in three of the seven races.
In the feature, the JARC Sports Day Cup Handicap over 1950m, Beasley rides Zaman, a surprise winner at Jebel Ali two starts back. Trained by bin Harmash, he narrowly failed to follow up over the same course and distance when second to Wessall, keeping on nicely in the closing stages having being held up in the rear. Zaman is an improved horse this season and should be thereabouts in a competitive event.
Go Soldier Go, representing the in-form Fawzi Nass, makes his Jebel Ali debut and is threat to Zaman. He failed to a land blow behind Kabirkhan at Meydan, a performance that can be upgraded having been slowly away. In the circumstances to finish less than nine lengths behind the winner, who was getting weight, was a fair effort.
Kabirkhan, winner of nine of his 10 races and trained by Doug Watson, is highly regarded and steps up to Group 1 company at Meydan on Friday.
A field of eight three-year-olds line-up in the conditions race, over 1400m, Race 2. It’s a modest contest that won’t take much winning and Bismilah Alik, trained by Ahmad bin Harmash, gets a tentative vote. He has failed to set the world alight in three appearances, the most recent when beaten under ten lengths in a decent contest on turf at Meydan.
However, it’s encouraging he produced his best run at Jebel Ali, finishing third behind Rasas earlier in the campaign. Bismilah Alik hails from a yard that remains in good form and can shed his maiden tag at the fourth attempt under Connor Beasley.
Race 3, the 1200m maiden, sees Bhupat Seemar introduce Elusive Terry, an unraced Raven’s Pass colt that fetched €123,962 (R2.5m) at the 2022 Goffs Dubai World Cup Sale. The choice of Tadhg O’Shea, of the two Seemar runners, he merits respect in a race that lacks strength in depth.
It’s hard to ignore the claims of Mohanad, who is trained at Jebel Ali by Michael Costa, the top trainer at the track this season. Acquired by Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum at the Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic Two-Year-Old Sale in 2022, he won’t need to be above average to play a leading role under Tom Marquand.
Doug Watson’s The Magical McCool makes a quick return to action in 1800m maiden, Race 6. Ridden by Pat Dobbs, he kept one-paced in the closing stages to chase home El Introvertido here seven days ago. The US-bred five-year-old is likely to be suited by the step up in distance and in a poor race, he should go close.
Mashkoor, the mount of Adrie de Vries, has progressed with racing this season and his recent narrow defeat behind Waqet here was a solid effort, his first start since being gelded. He’s a lightly raced four-year-old and demands respect.
Race 7, the mile handicap, has drawn a big field and looks wide-open to round off the afternoon. Lion’s Mane, to be ridden by Connor Beasley, makes most appeal on his Jebel Ali debut, 22 days after producing a career-high performance (on dirt) in defeat behind Nevershow Weakness, a progressive four-year-old trained by Bhupat Seemar.
The switch to Jebel Ali is an obvious query, but if the son of Shamardal can cope with the undulations and the tight bends, he should mount a bold bid. Lion’s Mane is very unexposed and is open to further progress, unlike most of his rivals.
Earlier on the card, Shanaghai City can follow up his recent course win in the 1000m handicap, Race 3. Trained by Rashed Bouresly, he caused a minor surprise when getting the better of Addicted To Chaos and Al Muzn to take his tally to five at Jebel Ali.
He found plenty for pressure, showing a determined attitude under Omar Salas, who retains the ride on the eight-year-old. The speedy Shanaghai City will be favoured by the step back to the minimum distance and is fancied to shrug off a small rise in the ratings.
Al Arbed, shock winner of a turf maiden at Meydan, heads the list of dangers back at Jebel Ali, a track he hasn’t finished worse than fourth in four appearances. It’s hard to ignore the claims of the top-weight Laa Baas, trained at Jebel Ali by Michael Costa. He’s proven here and had an excuse (minor bleed) when disappointing behind Al Shibli earlier in the month.
SELECTIONS
Race 1
5 RASHAD AL WATHBA 4 RAGHIB AL WATHBA 2 AF QEMAH 8 NIDAA
Race 2
4 BISMILAH ALIK 5 SHUF DUBAI 7 VELVET CACTUS 3 AZNA
Race 3
5 MOHANAD 3 ELUSIVE TERRY 8 SHINYAR 7 YUKON STAR
Race 4
3 SHANAGHAI CITY 2 AL ARBED 1 LAA BAAS 4 CHIEF OF NAVY
Race 5
6 ZAMAN 2 GO SOLDIER GO 4 BOOK REVIEW 1 LOST EDEN
Race 6
5 THE MAGICAL MCCOOL 7 MASHKOOR 3 MOUNT MARCY 2 FLAME TALON
Race 7
14 LION’S MANE 9 GHOST OF THE MAMBO 3 VASILAKOS 5 SHAKE HAND
Best Bet: 14 Lion’s Mane [Race 7]
Best Value: 5 Shuf Dubai [Race 2]
Best Swinger: 3 Shanaghai City and 2 Al Arbed [Race 4]
Jackpot
(Races 4-7)
R27
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3
Leg 2: 2, 4, 6
Leg 3: 3, 5, 7
Leg 4: 14