Listed Al Ain Mile headlined by Brraq
Al Ain's biggest race of the season features a dozen runners but the 1600m Listed Al Ain Mile is headlined by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan owned-Brraq, trained on the track by Jean de Roualle and seeking to win for the second consecutive weekend.
The lightly raced 6YO, of which he easily won his second, a 1600m maiden on the Abu Dhabi turf in January. Then, almost exactly a month later, he comfortably landed a 1600m rated conditions stakes at Jebel Ali with Richard Mullen in the saddle for all three starts.
De Roualle also saddles Mirna, to be ridden by Adrie de Vries for Yas Horse Racing Management, but seemingly overlooked by Mullen. A 7-year-old mare, she has yet to add to her four career victories in France but is taking a big drop in grade.
Her most recent victory over 1000m in Ostende was achieved when beating Lou Raynal, in opposition here for Yousif bin Ghilan. 7-year-old Lou Raynal made a winning local debut in a 1000m Al Ain conditions race in early January and has the assistance of champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea, but has struggled in two subsequent outings, most recently over course and distance.
Doug Watson saddles two with RB Mademoiselle, the mount of Sam Hitchcott, joined in the field by Sauternes Al Maury, owned by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum as is AF Mahshoum, trained by Ali Rashid Al Rayhi. With the owner’s first jockey Jim Crowley not in action because he rides in England on Saturday, Dane O’Neill, also retained by Sheikh Hamdan, has opted to ride Sauternes Al Maury.
Inaugurated in 2014, no horse has landed this race twice, but Aslaan, the 2017 victor, will try and remedy that for Helal Al Alawi and Sheikh Mansour but is another passed over by Mullen who was aboard for that success two years ago.
For His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Eric Lemartinel saddles both Amwaj, the mount of Fabrice Veron and Mukaram, to be ridden by Olivier Doleuze. Representing such powerful connections both merit the utmost respect.
The only Thoroughbred contest is a 1000m handicap which looks typically competitive and has attracted the maximum allowed field of 15.
Jockey bookings would suggest Mullen and Midlander are expected to fare best of four Satish Seemar runners with O’Shea aboard First Down, perhaps second best of the quartet.
Rashed Bouresly has his string in good form, so Atta Alla should not be discounted, along with stable companion Voski should he make the final field; he is currently the first reserve.
Credit: Curated from Press Release by Emirates Racing Association