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By Suleiman Altaf -
The AED350,000 Al Ain Mile has been a welcome addition to the UAE’s Purebred Arabian racing calendar in recent years and the Group 3 feature has attracted yet another esteemed field for Friday’s renewal. Boasting a rating of 115, the Ahmed Al Mehairbi-conditioned Al Laith makes a swift return to races following a career-best victory in the Group 2 Mazrat Al Ruwayah at Meydan last week over the same trip but on turf. Having only broken his maiden in a handicap at Abu Dhabi in early December of last year, the Al Rahmani Racing owned five-year-old has gone from strength-tostrength since, bagging another handicap in the interim before last week’s heroics. Ben Coen has ridden plenty of Al Mehairbi’s runners to success this season including Al Laith, and he resumes his partnership with the operation.
Equally as progressive, if not moreso, is in-form Dennis O’Brien’s AA Lahab. Unbeaten in two career starts to date both at the Al Ain venue, he has amassed his victories by a combined margin of over 17 lengths, with Al Laith being a victim of AA Lahab’s annihilation job on both occasions, nonetheless. With more natural progression to come, the five-year-old gelding could well taste a first Group race success on just his third start under Richard Mullen.
Trainer Majed Al Jahoori’s Deryan takes a sharp drop in grade here. The 2021 Dubai Kahayla Classic scorer has struggled to make hay this season with his current mark of 107 down from 115 for his course win at the Conditions level at the start of the season fairly representative of his rusty form this term. Perhaps, a step down from Group 1 company can propel him back into the winning picture with Bernardo Pinheiro in the saddle. Last year’s scorer Nadelshiba (Saif Al Balushi/Ahmed Al Shemaili) and the Musabbeh Al Mheiri-trained course winner Jazeelah (Oscar Chavez) form a formidable opposition to the protagonists. On a bumper nine-race card exclusive for the Purebred Arabians, eight other handicaps and maidens all make for a competitive evening of racing action.
The 2000m handicap for 70-100 rated horses sees veterans Salb and Shareek go against top four-year-olds Ramz Muscat and Raad Lembarak. Three of these are conditioned by Ibrahim Al Hadhrami with jockey Connor Beasley opting to ride the 94-rated Shareek over his 98-rated stable companion Salbaboard whom Saif Al Balushi partners instead. Ramz Muscat is also trained by Al Hadhrami with Sam Hitchcott retaining the partnership having won aboard him at Jebel Ali. He has a bit to find on Mullen’s mount Raad Lembarak though, judged on their handicap form behind Alwarry in which eighteen lengths separated the two.
MALAWIH LOOKS FOR DOUBLE
The postponement of last week’s Al Ain fixture might have been a blessing in disguise for JAP Malawih who was set to reappear following a seven-length romp the week prior. With an additional week’s rest now, the Qaiss Aboud-trained nineyear- old looks an even stronger prospect in the closing 1000m 0-75 rated handicap.
There might not be a more deserving horse for a win within the Purebred Arabian ranks than the Ibrahim Al Hadhrami-schooled Raad Albrooq. Including his debut in January of this year, the son of the high-profile RB Burn has placed in all three starts to date and has, arguably, been unlucky not to have shed his maiden tag already.
He could finally gain some compensation for his consistency in the opening 2000m maiden even if the likes of Haroot (Qais Al Busaidi/Al Mheiri) and RB Free Bird (Sam Hitchcott/Helal Alalawi) present a decent hurdle to overcome. Twin 1800m maidens – one restricted for the fillies and mares, a 0-85 rated handicap over the same trip, a mile maiden and a 1400m handicap for 0-80 rated horses complete proceedings for the eleventh meeting here.
