Ed Marnane
South African Ernst Oertel, the top trainer at Abu Dhabi this season, is bringing a big team of 12 Arabians to the UAE’s capital track on Thursday, with runners in five of the six races.
Oertel, who was last champion trainer in the Emirates four years ago, brings unexposed Af Afham back after a lengthy layoff in Race 4, the 1400m Handicap for local-bred Arabians.
Winner of a mile maiden at Abu Dhabi 12 months ago, he has been absent since beaten a neck in a handicap over this course and distance in March last year. Owned and bred by Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda, he has the assistance of Tadhg O’Shea and should go well, despite the obstacle of a wide draw in stall No 11 and obvious concerns about his fitness.
The maiden Hamloola, trained by Salem Al Ketbi, looks a danger on just her fifth career start. She has progressed with racing and wasn’t beaten far in a competitive 14-runner at Abu Dhabi last month, a solid effort on her handicap debut. She hails from a yard with a good record at Abu Dhabi.
Of the others, Wakeel W’rsan, the mount of Sam Hitchcott, makes most appeal for locally based trainer Jaci Wickham. The eight-year-old recovered from a tardy start when second to Taajer here, beaten a neck after making eye-catching late headway. He can shrug off a small rise in the ratings and play a leading role in a first-time hood.
Race 2, the only maiden on the programme, for Arabians foaled in the UAE needs to be treated with caution, as 11 of the 14 runners are having their first start and three are fitted with some type of headgear.
In a trappy contest, Af Yahdab gets a tentative vote on his second run of his career for trainer Khalifa Al Neyadi. He showed minor promise at Jebel Ali last month, keeping on nicely in the closing stages to finish fifth behind Basem Al Wathba in a similar event.
He’s entitled to improve for the experience and shouldn’t be inconvenienced by the switch to turf on his Abu Dhabi debut. Al Neyadi is enjoying a good season with his team and has enjoyed plenty of success at Abu Dhabi.
Af Alseermy, representing Ernst Oertel and Tadhg O’Shea, is a newcomer to note, despite being fitted with blinkers on his racecourse debut. His claims are clearly obvious as he hails from a top yard that historically tends to dominate these types of events in the Emirates.
A full field of 14 go to post for Race 3, the opening 1400m handicap. In a wide-open looking contest, recent winners As Jezan, Maimoon and Es Sudani all command respect, with marginal preference for the last-named, despite being dealt a blow with his draw in stall 14. He has enjoyed a productive campaign, winning twice at Abu Dhabi, the most recent in a 0-90 handicap three weeks ago.
Oertel’s Af Layth, the choice of Tadhg O’Shea, is drawn nicely and is fancied to enjoy the switch to Abu Dhabi and drop in grade after a respectable effort behind Leena in the Big Easy Arabian Sprint Championship on week three of the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan. The locally bred Arabian has an impressive record at Abu Dhabi, winning once and not finishing worse than second in just three appearances.
Racing rounds off with a competitive 1400m handicap for thoroughbreds and the former Marcus Tregoning-trained Ribhi, owned and bred by Shadwell, must concede weight to his 13 rivals on his UAE debut for new trainer, John Hyde. A useful juvenile, he hasn’t been seen since finishing five lengths behind Audience at Leicester in October. He’s likely to need the run and is best watched under Irish rider Andrew Slattery.
Dane O’Neill, Shadwell’s No. 1 rider in the Emirates, has chosen to ride Almoreb, with Pat Cosgrave booked to ride Al Salt, Shadwell’s third runner. O’Neill, who is operating at a 14% strike-rate in the capital this season, rode Almoreb when the veteran finished a creditable fourth behind Open Mind at Meydan, beaten less than three lengths.
Trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, Almoreb showed improved form in a first-time hood behind Saeed bin Suroor’s impressive winner, and this looks a good opportunity to snap a losing run going back to Jebel Ali in December 2021.
In a competitive race, Bhupat Seemar’s Leading Spirt (Cosgrave) and Ranaan (O’Shea) both come here in good heart having fought out the finish of a 1000m handicap at Meydan, in which the former prevailed in a photo. Ranaan is fancied to come out on top this time and should go close on only his second run on turf. Leading Spirit, who is making his Abu Dhabi, is vulnerable stepping up to 1400m and is hard to fancy.
Persian Empire, a bargain AED 25,000 (R120,000) purchase at the Racing in Dubai Sale in September 2021, has made a dream start for his rookie trainer, Hamad Al Marar, winning a maiden at Meydan on his seasonal debut.
He was only denied close home by Celtic Voyager on his first start in handicap company, just failing to see off the late burst of the shock winner. If he can transfer that form to Abu Dhabi, he won’t be far away.
Yonafis looks the pick of the remainder, based on riding arrangements as South African=born rider Jean van Overmeire has jumped off the recent Meydan winner Nibraas to ride the former William Haggas-trained gelding. He was a lightly raced for the Newmarket-based trainer, winning three of his five races, all on the all-weather. He is a well-bred horse and has the advantage of a good draw, a bonus round the tight turns of Abu Dhabi.
BEST BET
Race 4 No 4 Af Afham
VALUE BET
Race 3 No 2 King Majd
BEST SWINGER
Race 3: 1-As Jezan and 6-Af Layth
JACKPOT
(Races 3 to 6)
R96
Leg 1: 1, 2, 6, 8
Leg 2: 4, 10
Leg 3: 1, 2, 6, 12
Leg 4: 5, 8, 11