Otaared leads a treble for duo

Otaared, left, on her way to victory at Jebel Ali yesterday.

DUBAI // The home team of Dhruba Selvaratnam and William Buick recorded an impressive treble, including the Dh120,000 feature, at Jebel Ali's first meeting of the year yesterday. Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid's Otaared improved on his third-place last time to claim a three-and-a-half-length victory in the seven furlong Shadwell Stud feature, a strong contest with many live chances.

Jockey Buick was relieved the top-weighted son of Storm Cat found winning ways again. "I was very pleased. I was happy with him after his first run and his last outing was quite a rough race, but we were very disappointed," he said. Otaared, who went straight down to the starting gates without appearing in the paddock, can be a tricky customer. "He doesn't like the kick-back," said his trainer Selvaratnam, whose second runner, Law Lord, was second under William Supple.

"It was very disappointing last time so we are very happy. It will depend on his weights for the next race, but we will be going for some sort of conditions race." Thirty minutes later Selvaratnam and Buick came up trumps with Mofarij, who won the six furlong Dh85,000 Al Shafar Group Handicap at a canter and Airbuss took another victory for the stable in the next, the Beam Group of Companies eight furlong Handicap worth Dh65,000.

Ali Rashid al Raihe kept his charges ticking over nicely during the break and Happy Dubai won the six furlong Dh75,000 Serve U Facilities Management Conditions race. Owned by Ahmed al Falasi and ridden by Royston Ffrench, the three-year-old, who has had four previous starts, was the most experienced of the 16-runner field. Another stable hitting form is Musabah al Muhairi's Oasis yard and Wayne Smith powered Atlantic Brave across the line in the six furlong Dh60,000 Arabian Scandinavian Insurance Maiden.

Atlantic Brave, owned by his trainer, had to be encouraged inside the last two furlongs, but once he got going there was no catching him. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid's No 1 jockey, Richard Hills, had his first ride of the season aboard Alwaabel in fifth for champion trainer Doug Watson. The Richard Mullen-ridden Blues Ballad recorded a victory for trainer Satish Seemar in the final nine furlong Dh100,000 Al Medmar Magazine Handicap. @Email:[e-mail]