Lost Eden seeks Listed success at Jebel Ali

Ed Marnane

Racing at Jebel Ali on Saturday is highlighted by an 1800m conditions race, a trial for the Jebel Ali Stakes (Listed) in four weeks. Last season’s Jebel Ali Stakes winner Lost Eden, trained by Doug Watson, makes his seasonal reappearance and seeks to enhance his impressive strike-rate at the Dubai track.

Winner of two of his three races, he has to concede weight to his nine rivals and hails from a yard enjoying a fantastic season with their runners at Jebel Ali. Watson has already sent out eight winners and is operating at impressive 23% strike-rate after just four meetings.

Lost Eden, rated 99, is well treated by the conditions and clearly sets a good standard.

Getting 1kg from Lost Eden, Salem bin Ghadayer’s Book Review holds sound claims under Royston Ffrench. He showed little on his seasonal debut at Sharjah, trailing in a remote seventh behind George Villiers.

He left that modest effort well behind when scoring at Meydan, making all under Ffrench. The switch to Jebel Ali won’t inconvenience the son of Dubawi, having finished in the top four in two previous appearances in early 2021.

Local trainer Michael Costa, who took the training honours with a treble at Meydan eight days ago, has his team firing on all cylinders and he relies on Shamikh and Avant Garde, the highest rated horse in the field. He has shown little since joining Jebel Ali Stables and his comeback run behind Prince Eijji in the Dubai Creek Mile was disappointing.

Daramethos, trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, has plenty to find at the weights off a mark of 85. The son of Sea The Stars, a AE 160,000 (R746,000) purchase at September’s Racing In Dubai Sale, made a promising start for this yard when runner-up to Rakeez at this course two weeks ago, making late headway to finish 2.50 lengths behind a progressive type from a top stable.

Winner of one of his six races for Godolphin in the UK, Daramethos needs to raise his game but could reward each-way backers at decent odds.

Racing kicks off with a 1400m maiden and it will be disappointing if the Ray Dawson-ridden Quality Humor can’t open his account at the eighth time of asking. Runner-up in all three runs this season, the most recent in a decent event won by Bendoog at Meydan, he’s a confident selection in a race that lacks strength in depth.

Rashed Bouresly’s El Baareq is enjoying a profitable campaign and returns to Jebel Ali looking for his third victory of the season in the 1000m handicap, Race 3.

By Munnings, he’s a colt who possesses tremendous gate speed and early pace and showed a likeable attitude to prevail in a bunched finish at Meydan on his most recent appearance. He will be suited stepping back to the minimum distance and clearly warrants respect.

Vasari, trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, built on a promising comeback in early November when scoring at Meydan three weeks later. He’s effective at Jebel Ali, winning a maiden at the track in February last year.

The form of his recent victory was given a timely boost when the runner-up (Mutaraffa) ran third behind Mouheeb in the Listed Garhoud Sprint. He will be suited by the strong gallop and should go well.

Colour Up, impressive winner of a 1200m maiden at Meydan, makes his handicap debut off a mark of 86 and Pat Dobbs rides. Having just the fourth run of his career, this son of Mehmas is very unexposed and remains open to plenty of improvement. He has improved for joining Watson and ought to give a good account.

Of the others, Ranaan is one to consider, despite disappointing on his previous visits to Jebel Ali, showing little in three runs. A strong finisher, he will relish an end-to-end gallop and wasn’t beaten far by El Baareq at Meydan.

Racing closes with a three-year-old 1600m maiden, a trappy contest in which it is hard to have a strong view.

Salem bin Ghadayer, responsible for two of the eight runners, holds a strong hand and riding arrangements suggest Remas, the mount of Royston Ffrench, is the pick of the yard. She was outclassed in stronger company behind Bendoog, coming home 15 lengths behind Bhupat Seemar-trained favourite.

The daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver is a big player if recapturing her third behind Silver Jubilee, over this course and distance, four weeks ago.

Made In Dubai, bin Ghadayer’s second runner, has been running well in maidens this season. Her close third behind surprise winner Barq Al Emarat at Meydan last week was a solid effort. She won’t be far away.

Klimt Street, trained by Ahmad bin Harmash, is closely matched with Made In Dubai when they clashed at Meydan, and can’t be ignored under Ray Dawson.

Doug Watson’s British import, Cynical Point, formerly trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, is an interesting runner with an attractive pedigree on his local and dirt debut.

He’s bred for dirt, being by Point Of Entry out of a Sky Mesa mare, a two-time winner on dirt in the US. He failed to land a telling blow after a tardy start on his only run at Wolverhampton 14 months.

He’s likely to leave that form well behind and won’t need to be above average to play a leading role.

BEST BET

race 1 No 9 Quality Humor

VALUE BET

Race 3 No 8 Leading Spirit

BEST SWINGER

Race 4 3-Book Review and 1-Lost Eden

JACKPOT

(Races 3 to 6)

R48

Leg 1: 4, 9

Leg 2: 1, 3

Leg 3: 3, 4, 5, 7

Leg 4: 5, 6, 8