Bigg N Rich eyes second straight win

Bigg N Rich winning a race at Meydan. — KT file

A full field of 14 runners has been declared for the 1600m Purebred Arabians Al Ain Mile Prep, the feature fourth race on the card.

But the job of the Eric Lemartinel-trained would not be as easy as it was before with top performers including stable companion multi Group-1 winner Albar Lotois, Thakif, AF Lafeh and the like are making the line up in the Dh150,000 highlight of the afternoon. James Doyle will be in the saddle for the second time with veteran Irish jockey Ted Durcan taking the ride on Albar Lotois.

Lemartinel said: “Bigg N Rich won well at Al Ain’s first meeting and seemed to really like the surface. He should go close again, while Albar Lotois is probably better over further but should be competitive in this company.”

Runner-up to Bigg N Rich a month ago was the Ali Rashid Al Raihe-trained AF Lafeh, third in the 1600m opening round of the Al Maktoum Challenge three starts ago. Stable jockey Royston Ffrench, who boasts a 50 per cent strike rate at Al Ain having ridden three of the six winners at the first meeting, again rides.

Meanwhile, champion trainer Ernst Oertel saddles three runners in the race headed by Richlore, a third behind Big N Rich, and the choice of the stable jockey Tadhg O’Shea.

O’Shea said: “Ernst’s horses have been running well all season and Richlore really enjoyed the Al Ain surface last time and it was a good effort. He obviously needs to improve again but has been working well.” Apprentice jockey Daniel Muscutt rides Fryvolous, with Adrie De Vries aboard Oertel’s third runner, TM Junior Johnson. The all conquering Majed Al Jahouri saddles two with Harry Bentley aboard Thakif looking a stronger contender then Merzal, the mount of UAE apprentice Saeed Al Mazrooei.

The only Thoroughbred race is a 1600m handicap and Al Farahidi, trained by Abdulla bin Huzaim, must have leading claims after his course and distance second behind Need To Know a month ago. Need To Know has won and finished second since so the form looks strong and the 3kgs claim of Saeed Al Mazrooei is another positive.

The Musabah Al Muhairi-trained Colour Guard, the mount of Wayne Smith, was fourth in the race won by Need To Know and certainly seemed to handle the surface.

Adrie De Vries rides Ormindo for his main employer, Ahmad bin Harmash, and could prove a big danger. He won a 1600m handicap at Meydan on his most recent start, when chased home by Teslin, one of three in this race for Satish Seemar.