Brazilian jockeys dominate Arabian card at Al Ain

Sam Hitchcott on Al Mahbooba lands most valuable prize of the meeting

Sam Hitchcott and Al Mahbooba romp to victory in the first leg of the Al Ain Marathon Series at the Garden City track on Sunday, January 29, 2023. – Adiyat Racing Plus

Brazilian jockeys had a field day by winning five of the nine prizes on the Purebred Arabian card at Al Ain on Sunday.

Bernardo Pinheiro and Sandro Paiva both had two winners and apprentice Marcelino Rodrigues another, while Panamanian Oscar Chavez rode Nawart Baynounah to victory for rookie Sudanese trainer Nisren Mahgoub.

Pinheiro completed the double for Emirati trainer Khalifa Al Neyadi, riding Caesar Hawran to victory in the opener and then producing a strong late run to take the seventh race on Yas Xmnsor.

Paiva won the meeting’s second race on Mohamed Daggash’s Mirqab and then gave former UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation secretary general Faisal Seddiq Al Mutawa his first winner as a trainer with his first runner Fekr Almutawa.

Doug Watson celebrated a rare success with Al Mahbooba, his first Arabian runner of the season.

Sam Hitchcott took up the running on the long home stretch on the track to land the concluding handicap and the meeting’s most valuable prize – the Dh110,000 first leg of the Al Ain Marathon Series.

A daughter of three-time Dubai Kahayla Classic winner Madjani, the seven-year-old was winning in only her second start in the UAE after arriving at the Red Stables in Dubai.

“She had her first run in Abu Dhabi since she arrived from the UK and improved from that to win for us tonight,” James Owen, the owner, said.

“Her performance was there in the UK, winning her last two starts and had previously placed several times. She justified that performances with a nice win.”

Dane O’Neill on Jean de Roualle’s Zaidan Al Wathba and Antonio Fresu on Musabah Al Muhairi’s Jazeela took home the two remaining prizes.

Results

4pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m

Winner: Caesar Hawran, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)

4.30pm: Al Jimi – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m

Winner: Mirqab, Sandro Paiva, Mohamed Daggash

5pm: Zakhir – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,800m

Winner: Zaidan Al Wathba, Dane O’Neill, Jean de Roualle

5.30pm: Al Khobaisi – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,800m

Winner: Fekr Almutawa, Sandro Paiva, Faisal Seddiq Al Mutawa

6pm: Al Qattara – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Nawart Baynounah, Oscar Chavez, Nisren Mahgoub

6.30pm: Al Hili – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Jazeelah, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi

7pm: Mezied – Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (D) 1,400m

Winner: Yas Xmnsor, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi

7.30pm: Al Masoudi – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (D) 1,000m

Winner: AF Almomayaz, Marcelino Rodrigues, Qaiss Aboud

8pm: First Leg Of The Al Ain Marathon Series – Handicap (PA) Dh110,000 (D) 3,200m

Winner: Al Mahbooba, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson