Dubai: Trainer Doug Watson saddled a nice double at Jebel Ali Racecourse on Friday, continuing his success of last season when he was crowned champion trainer in the UAE.
The American-born handler, who sent out 57 winners during the term, including 16 at this track, collected his first silverware of the afternoon when Stunned lived up to his name to upstage some classy rivals and win the featured Shadwell Farm Handicap under Sam Hitchcott.
The five-year-old son of Shamradal was recording only his second career victory in 17 starts and a first in the UAE in six starts since being transferred from the Robert Cowell stable in the UK in December 2015.
Stunned won by an impressive margin of 4 1/4 lengths from stable companion Lytham St Annes, the mount of Dutch rider Adrie De Vries, while the popular choice Okimono, also trained by Watson, could only finish sixth under stable jockey Pat Dobbs.
Watson, who has been based in Dubai since 1993, visited the winner’s enclosure for the second time in the afternoon when Hello, a handsome son of Teofilo, made a winning debut in the Al Rammal Engineering Maiden Stakes.
Ridden by Dobbs, the winner showed plenty of guts to edge out Pictograph, ridden by Irishman Colm O’Donoghue and Crowded, the mount of Otalian Antonio Fresu in a tight, three-horse finish.
Watson was not the only handler in double winning form as Zabeel Stables boss Satish Seemar also went home with two trophies following the victories of two horses purchased out of sales at Meydan at the end of last year.
Ordinal, who was bought out of the Racing In Dubai September Sale and was ridden confidently by Seemar’s long-time stable jockey Richard Mullen, was a convincing 1¾ length winner over Najm Suhail, ridden by talented Emirati apprentice Saeed Al Mazrooei, in the Commercial Bank of Dubai Handicap.
“He’s a very classy horse. We liked him at the sale and bought him,” said Seemar. “He’s been training very well.
“The last time he ran he was doing too much because there was not a lot of cover. But he’s learnt from that run and he’s also a lot fitter.
“You’ll hear a lot of him in the near future as we think very highly of him,” added Seemar.
“He’s a very cool headed horse but we do use a pony on him at home as he doesn’t like to be alone. We would like to try him at Meydan next time.”
Mullen was also impressed and said: “He’s a really nice horse who seems to improve with every run.
“It’s great to get a winner for Malih Al Basti, as he’s such a great supporter of horse racing and every yard is supporting his colours.
“He’s a horse with a big future and he’ll probably be a better horse in a better race.
“It was a nice victory and he’ll come on for that and is certainly a horse to look forward to in the future.”
Secret Ambition, who was bought out of the Godolphin sale at Meydan earlier this year, was an equally impressive winner of the Arabian Scandinavian Insurance Company Handicap, with Mullen once again doing some good work in the irons.
The three-year-old son of top Australian sprinter Exceed And Excel is one of six horses running in the silks of first season owner Nasir Askar.
Earlier in the afternoon Al Mazrooei continued his strong start to the season by booting home his sixth winner since returning to the saddle from a year spent doing National Duty with the Dubai Civil Defence.
The regenerated rider has been displaying a lot of promise and was on top of his game aboard Skygazer, who landed the opening School Transport Services Handicap for former UAE champion trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
