Forjatt on a Hat Trick at Jebel Ali Mile
On Friday Afternoon the AED 575,000 Gr 3 Jebel Ali Mile, one of the biggest races of the season will be run at Jebel Ali. Only seven horses will race due to the last minute pull-out of Long River. Forjatt, trained on the track by Gopi Selvaratnam for racecourse patron HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is seeking a place in the history books and an unprecedented third win in the race. Forjatt, now a 10-year-old, he has had one start this season when finishing an excellent third in early December’s Listed National Day Cup. “The plan has always been to come here after Abu Dhabi. He is getting older now and will be campaigned accordingly,” Selvaratnam explained. “We are very happy with him and conditions obviously suit but this looks a very strong renewal.”
Completing the Bin Ghadyer duo and the mount of Xavier Ziani, is Manahir, sixth on his sole UAE and dirt start, at Meydan, last Thursday. Bin Ghadayer said: “Both are in good form and it is a good situation to be in for our team with strong chances. Frankyfourfingers arrives in great form as his two efforts this season have demonstrated. Manahir is a horse we like who will improve with last week’s run behind him.”
Also running is runner-up to Forjatt last year, Shamaal Nibras, trained by Doug Watson and also awarded second, in 2015, when Forjatt was disqualified after testing positive for a prohibited substance. Along with Shamaal Nibras we have winner of last year’s Listed Jebel Ali Stakes, Farrier also in the field with Richard Mullen riding for Satish Seemar. With the likes of Frankyfourfingers in the field, the race will be run at a good gallop which should play to Farrier’s strengths. he too is a ten-year-old and Mullen said: “He has not shown his best in either start this season but has been working better recently. It is a very strong heat but hopefully can at least be competitive.”
By Apurva Chavan, Racing Writer, apurva.chavan@secretariatsworld.com