Double delight for Musabah Al Muhairi and jockey Antonio Fresu in Jebel Ali

Dahawi and Dark Of Night taste success on Friday

Nicholas Bachalard’s Mouheeb, who recorded an impressive victory at Jebel Ali in December, will be in action in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial at Meydan on Thursday. Courtesy Dubai Horse Racing InformatioShow more

Musabah Al Muhairi and his stable jockey Antonio Fresu celebrated a double at Jebel Ali’s fifth meeting on Friday.

The pair were successful with Dahawi in the third race and completed the double with Dark Of Night in the fifth.

“They were both runner up on their reappearances and we really fancied their chances today,” Al Muhairi said.

“Dark Of Night has been running well in all his local starts at Meydan and it was his first race at Jebel Ali, and it was a winning one. He is a good horse and I’m glad he’s finally won in his eighth local start.

“Dahawi, like Dark Of Night, also ran a nice race on his reappearance in a stronger race at Meydan. So, they were not winning out of turn today.”

Mouheeb looks another exciting newcomer from Nicholas Bachalard’s Jebel Ali Stables after coming home an impressive winner on his racecourse debut.

The $400,000 American bred colt by Flatter under Tom Marquand raced prominently to win from Hurry Up and Rare Ninja by two and three quarter and one and-a-half lengths respectively.

Marquand substituting for the suspended stable jockey Ryan Curatolo had a straightforward job, racing with the leading group before travelling strongly up the Jebel Ali hill over the 1,200-metre trip.

“He’s been training forwardly in the morning and we always thought he was a nice horse,” Bachalard said.

“The question was always the distance. We had to choose between the mile at Meydan yesterday and 1,200m today, and we thought the 12 would suit him better. Obviously we’ll have to go for the mile next time.

“We have paid quite a bit of money for him. He’s done great everything in the morning and hopefully he’ll be a good horse for the future.”

Royston Ffrench rode his 300th winner in the UAE when steering Honourable Justice to victory for his main employer Salem bin Ghadayer in the second race.