Hard-riding Wayne Smith took advantage of some thoroughly competitive fare to rattle off a brilliant four-timer at the yesterday's Jebel Ali race meet, a feat that was sensationally matched by retaining trainer Mazin Al Kurdi.

Smith, who has often times fallen foul with the Stewards for his overtly aggressive tactics, the most recent case being on Thursday night at Nad Al Sheba where he picked up one-day ban, was on top of his game to boot home Taj Al Moulouk, Ocean Star, Blazing Ability for Mazin and Victory Moon for top South African trainer Mike de Kock.

"It's unbelievable, to ride four winners is great stuff," said the jockey, who will miss the December 22 meeting at Abu Dhabi.

Mazin, who has expanded his stables considerably this season, completed his four-timer with the Ryan Moore-ridden Cloidon in the final race of the meet sponsored by Kingwood House Stables, an England-based facility owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry.

Taj Al Moulouk, ridden by Smith, win the Kingwood House Stables Trophy.
"I'm terribly excited, it feels so wonderful," said the trainer who twice won the championship in his native Syria.

The Mazin-Smith dominance almost totally eclipsed another unique feat by De Kock, who saddle his first winner in the UAE.

The South African ace sent out a race-fit Victory Moon to win the Kingwood House Stables (Sakhee) Limited Conditions event by a short-head from Somerset, ridden by Johnny Murtagh for John Sadler.

Smith virtually pounced on the line to deprive big-race rider Murtagh of victory on the nicely-looking Green Desert gelding.

"It was not really planned. Victory Moon is a horse who wants a mile," revealed De Kock. "But I put him in the race because I thought the Jebel Ali racecourse, with its steep climb to the finish, qualified as a seven-furlong contest. He ran a bit green and will certainly improve for the race."
De Kock also thanked the Maktoum Family for giving him the opportunity to train in the UAE.

"All of South Africa needs to thank them for this," said the trainer, who was magnanimous in his praise of racing in the emirates.

Praise must also be reserved for Wayne Smith, who quite simply was on fire yesterday, despite oversleeping and coming into the meet on an empty stomach.

"I called Mazin this morning to tell him I wouldn't come in to work," said Smith. "But I guess this more than made up for it, didn't it. But the horses were in great condition and did all the hard work for me. It's a great feeling all the same."

Smith had to work hard for three of his four wins, which came on the line, and highlighted the rider's skills and judgment of pace.

Champion trainer Erwan Charpy added another win to his tally when lesser-fancied Elmonjed ran out a six and three quarter length winner of a 50-80 handicap over seven furlongs. Irish rider Tadhg O'Shea, who only recently lost his riding claim, rode a tidy race astride the Gulch colt to upstage a decent field that included Saint Malo, My Pleasure and Suraaj.

Results:

1st race: KINGWOOD HOUSE STABLES (Green Desert) Purebred Arabians 65-85 (9f):
1. Taj al Moulouk (M al Kurdi) W Smith; 2. Never Mind (S Seemar) C Arnold; 3. Fairton (K McLaughlin) W Supple; 3. Hindy De Faust (E Charpy) S Sanders.
Distances: 0.5L, Nose, o.75L.
Winning time: 2:05.51 secs.

2nd race: KINGWOOD HOUSE STABLES (Bahri) Thoroughbreds Maiden (9.75f):
1. Ocean Star (M Al Kurdi) Wayne Smith; 2. Mipan (S Seemar)R Moore; 3. Zahoom (J Naylor) J Carroll; 4. Red Astaire (A M Abdulla) C Avery.
Distances: 3L, Nk, 2.5L.
Winning time: 2:01.6 secs

3rd race: KINGWOOD HOUSE STABLES (Swain) Thoroughbreds 40-70 (5f):
1. Blazing Ability (M Al Kurdi) W Smith; 2. Holy Ople (E Charpy) S Sanders; 3. Flower State (ECharpy) T Durcan; 4. Ithrair (K McLaughlin) A McGlone.
Distances: Sh, 0.25L, 0.5L.
Winning time: 1:00.18 secs.

4th race: KINGWOOD HOUSE STABLES (Sakhee) Limited Conditions (6f):
1. Victory Moon (M de Kock) W Smith; 2. Somerset (J Sadler) J Murtagh; 3. Littleton Tzar (P rudkin) M Hills; 4. Jassas (K McLaughlin) A McGlone.
Distances: Sh, 6.5L, 1.5L.
Winning time: 1:12:64

5th race: KINGWOOD HOUSE STABLES (Alhaarth) Thoroughbreds 50-80 (7f):
1. Elmonjed (E Charpy) T O'shea; 2. Saint Malo (K McLaughlin) C Gannon; 3. My Pleasure (E Charpy) R Mullen; 4. Suraaj (M Al Kurdi) S Hamel.
Distances: 6.75L, 8.5L, 0.25L
Winning time: 1:25:02 secs.

6th race: KINGWOOD HOUSE STABLES (Nayef) Thoroughbreds 65-90 (9.75f):
1. Clodion (M al Kurdi) R Moore; 2. Emteyaz (A Smith) G Hind; 3. Nobelist (M Al Kurdi) W Smith; 4. Mobtaker (E Charpy) T O'Shea.
Distances: 2L, 4L, 0.5L.
Winning time: 1:58:84 secs.