Rio Tigre Lands Jebel Ali Feature Handicap
Rio Tigre won the 1800m handicap at Jebel Ali, the only race meeting in the UAE this weekend. Sandeep Jadhav trained-Rio Tigre was guided by stable jockey Royston Ffrench. “He is a very good horse and he won well here two weeks ago,” Jadhav said. “We will have to see what the handicapper does now before deciding whether to run here again or go to Meydan.”
Satish Seemar saddled four of the 15 runners in the opening 1400m maiden and supplied first and second with local debutant Mabrook unable to catch Beachcomber, who was never headed among the larger group on the far side of the track. Ridden by Tadhg O’Shea, Beachcomber was opening his account on his third career start, second this season and first at Jebel Ali. Sporting the silks of Mohd Khalifa Al Basti, the 4-year-old gelded son of Bernardini looks sure to improve with experience.
“That is the ideal start to the afternoon and we thought both had good chances,” Seemar said. “Mr Al Basti is a massive supporter of UAE racing and it is always nice to train a winner for him.”
An hour later, the owner completed a double, combining on this occasion with Doug Watson and Pat Dobbs to land a 1200m handicap with Lytham St Annes, a 5-year-old Bahamian Bounty gelding who was doubling his career tally on his 12th UAE outing.
Rocket Power made it three for the owner, looking well-named when shooting clear under Connor Beasley in the 1600m handicap. Saddled by Ahmad bin Harmash, who was completing a double, the 5-year-old Kyllachy gelding won once in England, on the all-weather at Southwell and was registering a second victory since joining current connections having won a 1200m Jebel Ali handicap in March 2017.
Bin Harmash said: “It has been a good afternoon and the horses continue in good form after a pleasing start to the season.”
Beasley added: “That was actually quite impressive and he has really carried me into the race strongly. It was just a case of him getting home up the hill over this trip but he stayed on strongly.”
The jockey completed a double and a treble for the trainer when Goldenground was never headed in the concluding maiden, a 1000m dash.
The 1400m handicap produced a dramatic finish with Initial, a 1600m winner at Al Ain two weeks ago, flashing home on the nearside rail, but fractionally too late for connections who after the photograph was examined actually had to settle for third. In the centre of the track Pinter had looked the likely winner when leading 300m from home (Antonio Fresu riding for Erwan Charpy), but they were caught shortly afterwards by Chris Hayes and Fear The Fury, initiating the treble for Bin Harmash.
Credit: Emirates Racing Authority