Dubai Jebel Ali Stables handler Dhruba Selvaratnam appears to have a gilt-edged chance of completing a clean sweep of all three black type races run at his home track, when he saddles two leading chances in Friday’s double header.
Stable flag-bearer Forjatt bids to follow-up on his Jebel Ali Mile victory in January 20 by capturing a second Jebel Ali Stakes, three years after he famously won the race which was first run in 1994.
Forjatt must cope with a penalty for his victory in the Mile and also a step up in distance to 1,950 metres.
However, his regular rider Chris Hayes was bullish in his assessment of Forjatt’s chances on Friday.
“He’s in very good shape and has really come to himself,” said the Irishman, who was also on board when Forjatt was narrowly beaten by Sefri in last year’s race, after having lost his whip.
“He’s even got better with age and certainly knows how to come up the hill.”
Selvaratnam was his characteristically cautious and said: “We hope he will stay the extra trip.
“He is in very good form at home so we are expecting a big run but he does need to prove his stamina for the extra 350m.”
Trainer Mushabah Al Muhairi has enjoyed his share of victories in the race and seeks even more success with Interpret, who won the Jebel Ali Stakes three years ago and was fourth to Sefri in last year’s renewal.
Selvaratnam also has strong claims in the 1,000m Jebel Ali Sprint where Morawij will attempt to defend the title he won twelve months ago.
Selvaratnam also saddles United Color third in this race last year.
“Both are in good form and this been their main target,” said Selvaratnam. “It looks a good renewal but both should give a worthy account of themselves.”
The Satish Seemar-trained Spin Cycle will try to take some inspiration from stable companion Reynaldothewizard and win the race at the age of eleven.
Al Muhairi also sends out Mushir, one of four horses in the race that will carry the colours of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, whose Shadwell breeding empire sponsor both the features races on the card, as well as two others through the organisation’s three main farms.
Shaikh Hamdan’s retained jockey, Jim Crowley, has elected to ride Mushir.
An interesting contender is Bahrain’s Krypton Factor, a 1,200m course winner last year whose most famous victory came in the Group 1 Golden Shaheen at Meydan in 2012.
He was back in the Meyan winner’s enclosure just last week when showing his old zest to land a 1,200m turf handicap under Adrie de Vries who is again in the saddle.
“He did that very well last week,” said his rider Adrie De Vries. “The ability is certainly still there and he proved last year he can handle the Jebel Ali surface.”
