Fanaar best in Jebel Ali feature

Ed Marnane

Doug Watson’s on-going love affair with Jebel Ali can continue at the track’s opening meeting of the year on Sunday.

Watson, the top trainer at Jebel Ali this season with 11 winners, is operating at an impressive 25% strike-rate. Fanaar, owned by Shadwell, can win the feature, the Jebel Ali Mile Prep, Race 5, for the American.

By Dark Angel, Fanaar has thrived since returning from his summer break, winning his last two races, both at Jebel Ali. The highest rated horse in the eight-runner in the 1600m event will take plenty of beating in the hands of Dane O’Neill.

Rated 104, he is well treated by the conditions and can advertise his claims for the Jebel Ali Mile (Group 3) next month.

Mersaal, trained by Michael Costa, is unbeaten at Jebel Ali, winning a maiden in November before taking advantage of a lenient mark on his handicap debut two weeks later. He failed to follow up switching to Meydan, trailing in a long way behind stable companion Tahdeed.

He can easily bounce back and looks an obvious threat to Fanaar back on his favourite track. Costa has booked Tadhg O’Shea to ride Tahdeed. Rated 88, he will need to raise his game and is hard to fancy.

Of the others, the unexposed Ibra Attack makes most appeal. He has his quirks but since a visor has been fitted, he has progressed nicely and ran out a good winner of a maiden here earlier in the campaign.

He took another step forward when winning a nine-runner handicap back at Jebel Ali and is clearly a horse on the up.

The Salem bin Ghadayer-trained Down On Da Bayou, winner of the 2020 UAE Oaks, comes here in good form, finishing second in her last two races. Winner of two of her eight races at Jebel Ali, she’s a confirmed front-runner and if allowed an uncontested lead, she could be hard to reel in.

Seven days after winning the American Oaks at Santa Anita, US owners Rockingham Ranch could enjoy success in the 1400m handicap, Race 4, with King Of The Nite.

Trained by Doug Watson, he showed improved form last time behind Dignity Joy having failed to land a blow on his seasonal debut. A winner over the course and distance in March, he can play a prominent role in a race that won’t take much winning,

Show Maker showed promise on his dirt debut at Meydan, keeping on nicely in the closing stages to finish fifth behind Triple Venture, a performance that can be upgraded having being slowly away.

He’s entitled to be sharper for the run having been off the track since July.

Fusion Gold, representing Bhupat Seemar, has been knocking on the door in maiden company this season and doesn’t look badly treated off a mark of 75 on his handicap debut. He’s proven under the conditions and is one to consider.

Earlier, the three-year-old 1200m maiden, Race 2, has attracted a full field of 16. Chief Of Navy, trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, has a leading chance on his Jebel Ali debut. He showed plenty of speed when third behind Morning at Meydan and is open to further improvement.

Tawaagg, representing Michael Costa, won’t need to be anything special to make his presence felt on his first start in public. The US-bred colt, a purchase $170,000 (R2.9m) at OBS, in Florida, has the advantage of a barrier trial and is a well-related colt.

Ahmad bin Harmash has a good record with his juveniles this season, and he relies on Habooba, the mount of Ray Dawson. She made a pleasing debut behind Here We Are, leaving the impression she can come forward for the experience.

The unexposed Dubawi Sands must concede weight all round in the finale, a 1950m handicap. Trained by Doug Watson, he has filled the runner-up berth in two appearances since returning from his summer, both over the course and distance. Dubawi Sands, a half-brother to Irish 2000 Guineas winner Galileo Gold, is very much the one to beat.

Riding arrangements suggest the Royston Ffrench-ridden Tolmount is the pick of Salem bin Ghadayer’s three runners. A winner over 1600m at Jebel Ali two starts back, he ran well behind Justice Protocol, finishing less than five lengths behind the winner. By Dubawi, he likes to force the pace and if allowed dominate, he could be hard to catch.

Bhupat Seemar’s Ghost Of The Mambo, a winner over the track, has shown improved form with racing this season and wasn’t beaten far in a competitive handicap at Sharjah before Christmas. He’s a reliable and consistent type, and clearly merits respect.

BEST BET

Race 2 No 2 Chief Of Navy

VALUE BET

Race 5 No 2 Ibra Attack

BEST SWINGER

Race 7 1-Dubawi Sands and 3-Tolmount

JACKPOT

Races 4 to 7

R54

Leg 1: 2, 3, 8

Leg 2:1, 2, 4

Leg 3: 1, 2, 4

Leg 4: 1, 3