Dubai: Mujaazef showed plenty of tenacity to stave off four-time course winner Atlantic Brave close to home and help champion trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe maintain his red-hot form as the 2011-2012 UAE racing season picked up the tempo.
The Emirati handler won the feature race at the Jebel Ali Racecourse two weeks ago with the gelding who is by the outstanding young Darley stallion Dubawi, and he repeated the feat yesterday in the Shadwell-sponsored Conditions race over seven furlongs.
On board, Tadhg O'Shea had to work a lot harder to secure victory, as champion jockey Wayne Smith on Atlantic Brave challenged the winner all the way to the wire.
"He's a nice horse for the future and we will bring him back here, as he really likes this track," said a jubilant Al Raihe, who went on to complete a double with Glen Nevis in the supporting race of the afternoon, the Emirates Airline handicap.
"This is his best trip, although he can be equally good over five and six furlongs. He does not appear to like the All Weather track at Meydan so we may only go there to experiment. This [Jebel Ali] is where he will like to race most of the season."
Gracious in defeat
Musabah Al Muhairi, who was bullish about the chances of Atlantic Brave, was gracious in defeat and said the better horse on the day won.
"Atlantic Brave has not run since March and it looks like he needed the race," said the Emiriti, who is Al Raihe's brother-in-law. "He took a while to settle but he was doing some good work close to the finish. We'll bring him back here soon."
Al Muhairi, who finished runner-up to Al Raihe last season, said he was not too worried that he hasn't saddled a winner so far.
"My horses are running well, but we haven't had the luck," he said matter-of-factly. "We've had two seconds, two thirds and two fourths. So our horses have run close."
Meanwhile, former UAE champion trainer Doug Watson continued his strong start to the season when he saddled a double, his second at the course.
Kilt Rock, owned by the Emirates Entertainment Racing Syndicate which has over 100 members, marked himself out as an exciting prospect when he landed his second success of the season in the opening Serve U handicap over five furlongs.
The Pick Six favourite extended his dominance over the Satish Seemar-trained Nanni The Teaser to record a convincing length and a half victory in the hands of Smith.
Watson went on to bag the Commercial Bank of Dubai Handicap over a mile with last outing winner Mushreq, who for the second successive race beat home hope Tesslam.
Two winners
Jebel Ali trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam was not to be denied his share of victory on a bright sunny afternoon and it came in two doses.
First, Kessraa nailed the Al Shafar Investment following a strong riding performance by James Doyle, before the Sarbola romped home to a seven length victory in the concluding Al Shafar Group handicap.
"We were hoping to have a good afternoon, so we are very happy with our two winners," said Selvaratnam, who was denied a three-timer when favourite Swining Sixties was beaten by Glen Nevis in the Emirates Airline handicap.
