Watson leads the way at Jebel Ali

Ed Marnane

Three weeks into the new season in the UAE and Doug Watson has made a flying start to the campaign, having saddled eight winners that puts him at the top of the trainers’ table, two clear of South African Ernst Oertel.

Watson brings a big team to Jebel Ali on Saturday for their six-race card, and he’s fancied to win the opening race, a 1400m maiden, with the lightly raced Carpe Momentum under stable jockey Pat Dobbs.

The US-bred gelding, runner-up in his two starts at Jebel Ali last season, was withdrawn due to a colic on the opening meeting of the season at Jebel Ali three weeks ago. This looks a good opportunity for Carpe Momentum to open his account at the fourth time of asking.

The opening handicap, Race 2, over 1400m has drawn a field of nine, and Watson holds a strong hand with top-weight Fanaar, French import National Bank and McManaman. Preference is for the last-named, the mount of Pat Dobbs. He made highly encouraging comeback here three weeks ago on his first appearance since being gelded, just finding the classy Mouheeb a length too good in a 1200m handicap, with Fanaar well held back in third. McManaman, who began his career with Richard Fahey in the UK, left the impression he would appreciate stepping up in the distance and can notch his second success since joining Watson at Red Stables.

The Bhupat Seemar-trained Al Habash, the sole three-year-old in the field, makes his handicap debut on his first start of the season. He opened his account on his final run last season, winning a maiden over the same course and distance in February. By the former Dubai World Cup and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Arrogate, he is very unexposed and hails from a yard going well. An opening mark of 89 looks harsh based on what he has achieved, while the record of three-year-olds taking on their elders on handicaps in the Emirates is poor.

Tabarak is one of three horses representing Rashed Bouresly and the son of Quality Road was a frustrating horse for connections last season, filling the runner-up berth in five of his eight races. Bouresly has booked Ray Dawson to ride the consistent six-year-old, and he warrants respect over a course he’s proven.

Of the others, the Musabbeh Al Mheiri-trained pair Almoreb and Dignity Joy make most appeal. The latter, to be ridden by South African Jean van Overmeire, was a good second to El Baareq on his first appearance in eight months. He will need to improve in a stronger race.

Antonio Fresu, Al Mheiri’s stable jockey, rides Almoreb, sporting the second silks of Shadwell. A winner at Jebel Ali on his seasonal debut 11 months ago, he reserves his best form for the track and holds sound claims seeking his fourth victory at the course.

The 1600m maiden, Race 3, has drawn a field of eight and looks a competitive event. Restricted to three-year-olds, Quality Humor sets a decent standard, three weeks ago he was narrowly denied by Anbar in a similar event, just getting caught close home by the Doug Watson-trained winner.

He can go well if building on the back of his best run of his career.

Fusion Gold, trained by Bhupat Seemar, caught the eye on his seasonal debut here two weeks ago. Ridden by Tadhg O’Shea, he ran on well in the closing stages to finish second to Mersaal having been slowly away. He should be a leading player if jumping smartly and avoiding a tardy start.

Riding arrangements suggest Muqatel, the mount of Royston Ffrench, is the pick of Salem bin Ghadayer’s two runners. He left a poor effort on his racecourse debut at Meydan well behind when a creditable second to Street Mood on his Jebel Ali debut in March.

Silver Jubilee might prove best of the rest at bigger odds. Trained by Doug Watson for one of his biggest owners, Sheikh Obaid Al Maktoum, he has shown a reasonable level of ability, most notably when second to Monaadah in a maiden on turf at Meydan.

Switched to dirt at Jebel Ali next time, he never landed a telling blow having lost valuable ground when jumping slowly from the starting stalls.

Racing closes with a 1950m handicap, the four-runner event looks a head-to-head battle between Tapitution, trained by Bhupat Seemar, and Doug Watson’s Dubawi Sands. The unexposed pair renew rivalry having clashed here three weeks ago, Tapitution emerged the winner when he had three-parts of a length to spare over Dubawi Sands in a close finish.

On the revised weights, Dubawi Sand is weighted to get his revenge and is entitled to be sharper for the race, having shaped he would improve for the run.

It's hard to fancy the Ahmad bin Harmash’s New Trails and First Of November, trained by Salem bin Ghadayer. Eight days ago, at Meydan, the pair were soundly beaten and are unlikely to trouble Tapitution and Dubawi Sands.

SELECTIONS

Race 1

3 CARPE MOMENTUM 6 IBRA ATTACK 4 DESERT DESTINATION 8 ONDA RUGGENTE

Race 2

3 MCMANAMAN 2 ALMOREB 1 FANAAR 8 DIGNITY JOY

Race 3

5 QUALITY HUMOR 4 MUQATEL 3 FUSION GOLD 7 SILVER JUBILEE

Race 4

7 MERSAAL 5 ANBAR 3 SYRTIS 1 BOCHART

Race 5

8 CHOSEN MARK 2 MAYAADEEN 1 EXCITING DAYS 4 FAWAAREQ

Race 6

2 DUBAWI SANDS 3 TAPITUTION 4 FIRST OF NOVEMBER 1 NEW TRAILS

Best Bet: 3 Carpe Momentum [Race 1]

Best Value: 7 Silver Jubilee [Race 3]

Best Swinger: 8 Chosen Mark and 2 Mayaadeen [Race 5]

JACKPOT

[Races 3-6]

R32

Leg 1: 3, 4, 5, 7

Leg 2: 5, 7

Leg 3: 2, 8

Leg 4: 2, 3