DUBAI // Jet Express justified his status as the favourite for the Dh500,000 Jebel Ali Mile yesterday to land the second of the track's listed features ahead of Erwan Charpy's Golden Arrow. The horse, prepared by Ali Rashid al Raihe who also claimed the Emirates Airline Conditions race, seems unstoppable this season, with four consecutive victories under his belt and the Dubai International Racing Carnival at Meydan Racecourse the next port of call.
The race reversed last year's form where Jet Express was second by a short head to Golden Arrow as regular jockey Royston Ffrench was unable to take the ride after falling ill on the afternoon of the race. This time around he was in fine health, committing the fast-improving Jet Express from three furlongs out and holding off a surging Golden Arrow under Pat Smullen and Musabah al Muhairi's formidable Ibn Battuta, ridden by Wayne Smith.
Half-a-length separated the winner and runner-up at the finishing post, while Ibn Battuta narrowly completed the top three by a nose. "We will see how Jet Express fares in the weights and we'll certainly be looking at the Carnival," said al Raihe. With 26 wins, Ffrench leads the jockeys' championship by five points from Tadhg O'Shea. "I missed out on this race last year because I was sick so this is special," he said. "This horse is a great servant and he keeps getting better. He's a pleasure to ride."
Al Raihe scored a double when Impenetrable and Ffrench won the Emirates Airline Conditions race. Step in Line, trained by Abdullah bin Huzaim, was the runaway winner in the Al Hai Handicap over a mile, while O'Shea took the second race on Doug Watson's Numair. Atlantic Brave with Ted Durcan on board came home well for the Emirates NBD Handicap and Dhruba Selvaratnam and William Buick combined for the Emirates Equestrian Federation Handicap with My Verse.
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