AL AIN // Ernst Oertel on Thursday regained the UAE trainer's championship lead from his nearest challenger, Musabah Al Muhairi, after saddling two winners under two different jockeys.
Sam Hitchcott on Callateral produced a well-timed run to win the Dh100,000 Al Khoboisi, the featured handicap, after the stable apprentice Daniel Muscutt rode a similar race on Madjanthat to take the second race, both in impressive style, at the Al Ain racecourse.
“It is nice to be back in front and hope we can stay there as our horses are running very well at the moment,” Oertel said after taking his winners tally to 33, two more than the Oasis Stables trainer.
Muscutt set the early pace on Gali Rich. Hitchcott had Callateral tucked behind in third before kicking for home on the long 600 metres home stretch to win by six lengths from Haajeb under the Emirati apprentice Saeed Al Mazrooei over the 1,600m trip.
“He had problems and he was winning his second race in four starts since his return to racing this season,” Oertel said of the six-year-old chestnut son of Calin Du Loup.
The trainer said Callateral “came up against a good horse last time” when he was second to stable companion RS Smokin Rich.
“He’s a good horse in his own rights but I am not sure if he will be good enough to return for the featured prize in Al Ain’s final meeting. There are hardly any races left now but we will try to find him another race, if not bring him back next season,” Oertel said.
Madjanthat was another impressive winner in his second start. The four-year-old gelded son of Madjani, a three-time winner of the Dubai Kahayla Classic, took up the running on the home stretch to win by eight lengths from Zeyad, ridden by Manuel Chaves.
“Being by Madjani he is a bit naughty but with racing he will get better,” Oertel said. “We’ll see how he has come out of this race and see if we can run him again this season. Again it will depend if there is any race suitable for him, if not, he returns next season.”
Patrick Cosgrave rode a double for two trainers. He took Race 3 on the Jameel Salman-trained Tha’Er then won Race 4 on Yakoota W’Rsan for Jaci Wickham.
It was the first winners in Al Ain for both Salman and Wickham, and the winning jockey said he had to “work really hard” to get them over the line.
“They were both lazy. It was very hard work out there and had to push really hard to get them over the line,” Cosgrave said.
“She has run well on the dirt in Sharjah and seems to like the all-weather track at Al Ain,” Wickham said.
Jesus Rosales took the opener on Barq Al Reef and Patrick Dobbs took the concluding race for the thoroughbreds on Centrifugal.
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SPRINT SHOWDOWN AT JEBEL ALI FOR RUSSIAN ROCK AND SHOLAAN
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Friday’s Jebel Ali Sprint sees an intriguing renewal between the two-time winner Russian Rock and Sholaan with Mike De Kock’s Merhee adding more zing in the Listed race.
Sholaan trained at the Garden Party track by Dhruba Selvaratnam has been in cracking form this season, winning his past two starts including the prep race he won convincingly from Russian Rock two weeks ago.
“He’s in excellent shape going in to this race yet he need to give his best against some very strong opponents,” Selvaratnam said of the five year old gelded son of Invincible Spirit.
Russian Rock will have to find that extra as he bids to complete a hat trick of the sprint prize after his latest effort.
“He ran a bit flat in his last start but will come from that run, hopefully,” said his handler Musabah Al Muhairi.
De Kock tries out Merhee at the Jebel Ali track for the first time after bay son of Elusive Quality failed to win a race in three starts, twice on the Tapeta and once on the turf at Meydan.
Merhee was runner-up behind Jamesie in his first start at Meydan over 1,200-metres and unplaced in his next race over 1000m on turf before a good fifth behind Medicean Man back on the 1,200m trip.
So one would think his chances must be respected.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid has four entered under two different trainers with the owner’s retained jockey Paul Hanagan opting for Fityaan, well beaten behind Sholaan in his most recent start.
Spin Cycle, the 2010 winner of the race, and Brazen, trained by the UAE champion trainer are the others to be considered in what looks like a cracking contest for the Dh500,000 prize.
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apassela@thenational.ae
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