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Rare double for apprentice Saeed

DUBAI - UAE apprentice jockey Saeed Al Mazrooei was applauded by the crowd after the teenager rode the first winner of his career aboard Five Cents in the 1800m Handicap fourth race on the card at the Jebel Ali Racecourse on Friday afternoon.

Al Mazrooei was sent to Curragh, Ireland last season for training before he made his first appearance for trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Ahmed Ajtebi. The teenager went for a double in the 1600 Hippo Group Thoroughbreds Handicap, the final race of the day.

After being judged the best-turned out horse in the paddock, the four-year-old son of Tiger Hill broke well and raced keenly from the middle of the leading group not far away from the pace. Al Mazrooei asked his mount to improve as the pack turned for home and Spice Souk made a steady progress to take the lead and sprint home unchallenged.

Meanwhile, Bin Cycle, ridden by Frankie Dettori, galloped to victory in the 1000m Shadwell Jebel Ali Sprint ‘Listed’, the highlight of the Jebel Ali penultimate meeting of the season. “This horse was doing very well in Europe, but began to lose form and Shaikh Rashid decided to give him a chance in the local season. I think his judgment proved to be right,” trainer Satish Seemar commented.

According to the Zabeel trainer, the present rate of the horse does not qualify him for the 1200m A/W Dubai Golden Shaheen Gr-1 on the World Cup night and will most probably receive an invitation for a line-up in the 1000m turf Al Quoz Sprint Gr-2.

Seemar has earlier saddled Escape Route who set a new track record after winning the 1400m Shadwell Farm-sponsored Conditions, the opening race on the card. The seven-year-old by Elusive Quality became the fastest horse on this distance and course since Swinging Sixties who struck for trainer Druba Selvaratnam in 2010.

Trained by Satish Seemar on behalf of Princess Haya, Escape Route broke nicely and raced from the centre of the track before he went well clear to emerge the easiest of winners on the line. Warsaw, Kevin Shea up, chased the winner home and behind them came Otaared under Kieren Fallon.

Richard Hills partnered UAE debutant Hajjan to victory in the 1600m Thoroughbreds Handicap, the second race of the afternoon. The four-year-old Mr Greeley colt broke from stall seven and settled behind the leading group and responded well when the Englishman said go in the crucial stages of the trip. Wayne Smith, who rode stable companion Fantastic Dubai to finish close second, lodged an objection against alleged interference, but the stewards upheld the result, according to the order in which they have crossed the line.

Top weight Al Farahidi made virtually all under Carlos Sanchez to land the 1600m Frayland Handicap the fifth race on the card.

The four-year-old gelded son of Seeking The Gold left the machines very quickly and settled well on the outside of the early speed. Crackdown showed the way under William Supple, but Al Farahidi made a smooth progress to hit the front as the pack turned for home and held on courageously in the concluding stages of the race.

RACE ONE

2.15pm Thoroughbreds Conditions 1400m (a 7f) sponsored by Shadwell Farm. Purse: Dh120,000: 1. Escape Route (Satish Seemar) Richard Mullen 2. Warsaw (Mike De Kock) Kevin Shea 3. Otaared (Dhruba Selvaratnam) Kieren Fallon.

Time: 1.22.76. Distances: 2.25L/ 3.25L.

RACE TWO

2.45pm Thoroughbreds Handicap 1200m (a 6f) sponsored by Al Shafar Investments. Purse: Dh70,000: 1. Hajaan (Musabah Al Muhairi) Richard Hills 2. Fantastic Dubai (Musabah Al Muhairi) Wayne Smith 3. League Champion (Mohammed Ramadan)

Gary Hind. Time: 1.11.26. Distances: NK/ 0.75L.

RACE THREE

3.15pm Thoroughbreds Shadwell Jebel Ali Sprint Listed 1000m (a 5f) sponsored by Shadwell Farms. Purse: Dh500,000: 1. Bin Cycle (Satish Seemar) Frankie Dettori 2. Force Freeze (Doug Watson) Kieren Fallon 3. Terrific Challenge (Satish Seemar) Richard Mullen. Time: 58.55. Distances: 1.5L/ 1.25L.

RACE FOUR

3.45pm Thoroughbreds Handicap 1800m (a 9f) sponsored by Commercial Bank of Dubai. Purse: Dh70,000: 1. Five Cents (Ali Rashid Al Raihe) Saeed Al Mazrooei 2. Trust N Dust (Ali Rashid Al Raihe) Patrick Cosgrave 3. Shemoli (Dhruba Selvaratnam)

Kieren Fallon. Time: 1.51.30. Distances: 0.75L/ 1.25L.

RACE FIVE

4.15pm Thoroughbreds Handicap 1600m (a 8f) sponsored by Frayland. Purse: Dh60,000: 1. Al Farahidi (Abdulla bin Huzaim) Carlos Sanchez 2. Sailorman (Ismail Mohammed) Antioco Murgia 3. Noisy Silence (Anthony manuel) Patrick Dobbs. Time: 1.37.87. Distances: 1.75L/ 0.75L.

RACE SIX

4.45pm Thoroughbreds Handicap 1600m (a 8f) sponsored by Hippo Group. Purse: Dh110,000: 1. Spice Souk (Abdulla bin Huzaim) Saeed Al Mazrooei 2. Sarbola (Dhruba Selvaratnam) Kieren Fallon 3. Prime Preacher (Stephane Chevalier) Ted Durcan. Time: 1.37.87. Distances: 1.75L/ 0.75L.