Amwaj landed the Listed Al Ain Mile, which is the biggest race of the Al Ain season. He provided His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Eric Lemartinel a third consecutive win on the card, as well as completing a double for jockey Fabrice Veron.
The race started to unfold at the top of the straight when AF Mahshoum, who eventually finished fourth, took up the running. She lost that initiative to Sauternes Al Maury with Mirna looming as a big danger wider on the track. The effort from the last named petered out with 100m to run when the race looked destined for Sauternes Al Maury, only for Veron to conjure one last effort from Amwaj who put her head back in front right on the line.
The 2000m maiden for horses foaled locally was won stylishly by Mustajeeb, opening his account at the fifth attempt and clearly appreciating the longest trip he has tackled under Veron, who riding for Sheikh Khalifa and Lemartinel, was hard at work on the home turn. However, with those who had helped force what looked a very strong pace tiring in the straight, Veron’s mount was able to gain the initiative with about 250m remaining and the pair won going away from toiling rivals.
Owner and trainer then completed a quick double with Olivier Doleuze this time the main in the saddle aboard Faheeda who landed the following 2000m handicap in dogged fashion. After hitting the front almost 400m from home, the 5-year-old mare started wandering about in the wide home straight, seemingly giving AF Al Baher, whom she had passed to gain the lead, and eventual runner-up, Men Alemarat, every chance, but they could not get by.
Having combined to land the three previous races, Sheikh Khalifa and Lemartinel added the penultimate event to their haul, a 1600m handicap, also providing the runner-up for good measure with Veron denied a treble aboard Bashayer by stable companion Al Jazi partnered by Polish apprentice Joanna Grzybowska. Horse and jockey had combined to win over course and distance four weeks ago, a first UAE success for the apprentice, but the 7-year-old mare, under different riders, had been beaten at both Abu Dhabi and Sharjah subsequently, but appeared to relish the return to Al Ain to record a fifth career victory and third on this course.
The opening 1400m handicap, restricted to horses in private ownership, was won in determined fashion by SS Jalmod who was probably never headed under Omani apprentice Abdul Aziz Al Balushi who was riding his first UAE winner at just the sixth attempt. Kicked clear about 450m from home, the 4-year-old colt, wandered violently across the track halfway up the straight, but once finding the stand side rail, ran on strongly to gain a brave success.
He is trained by Younis Al Kalbani for Ahmad Saeed AlMazrouei and he looks the type to keep on improving with experience.
Trained in Al Ain at The National Stables by Helal Al Alawi, Margham Dubai did well to make it third time lucky to open his account in the concluding 1600m maiden having seemingly stumbled as he exited the stalls. However, given to find his stride by Antonio Fresu, sporting the silks of Saleh Omar Ali bin Haidar, the 4-year-old colt was soon in contention before making relentless progress in the final 300m to hit the front in the final 100m.
Curated from Press Release by ERA