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Super start for Supple

Top Irish jockey William Supple teamed up with compatriot trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam to land the 1000m Derrinstown Stud-sponsored feature race on the opening racing day of the season.

Top Irish jockey William Supple teamed up with compatriot trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam to land the 1000m Derrinstown Stud-sponsored feature race on the opening racing day of the season at the Jebel Ali Racecourse on Friday afternoon.

Four-year-old Exceed and Excel fully responded keenly up the hill to win against public favourite Bounty Quest in the concluding stages of the tough battle.

Patrick Dobbs came close to completing a hat-trick for his American boss Doug Watson when he pushed Bounty Quest to the lead in the final stages of the trip, but the improving filly foiled his move with a lovely maneuver near post.

The former UAE champion jockey has apparently parted ways with his ex-employer and joined the Green Stable of his previous boss French trainer Erwan Charpy.

Early in the afternoon, former champion trainer Doug Watson saddled the first winner of the season when Gulf Of Gold came with a late run under Patrick Dobbs to pip the mount of Patrick Cosgrave, Kessraa close home.

Following a late withdrawal of the Abdulla Al Tamimi-trained, Lunar Landscape, nine horses left the machines very quickly in the 1600m round course trip. David Smith was the first to jump out of stall three to show the way while Kessraa was perfectly poised in the centre of the track as the pack approached the finish line up the hill. Kessraa hit the front with less than two furlongs to go and looked like going for an easy win, but Gulf Of Gold lived up to his name and quickened in the last strides to cross the finish line first in a thriller.

The partnership of Watson-Dobbs went for a quick double in the second race, a TB handicap over 1950m around the course.

William Supple led the small field of six runners astride debutant Zemario in the distinguished colours of Shaikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, but the Dalakhani horse dropped back as horses climbed up the hill with two furlongs remaining. At this point, Dubai Twilight made a steady move under Wane Smith to hit the front. But Patrick Dobbs came from behind to lead near post and make two out of two for his employer. The partnership of trainer Musabah Al Muhairi and jockey Wayne Smith came to the forefront when the Irish jockey gave top weight Celtic King a great ride to smash a field of eight runners in the fourth race.

The brilliant son of King’s Best broke well and raced keenly in the centre of the field before the Irishman sprinted home unchallenged to emerge the easiest of winners of the afternoon.

William Supple rode his second winner of the afternoon astride the unraced colt Cho Cho Fever for his new employer Erwan Charpy in the 1400m fifth race on the card.

The French trainer did not expect him to win on debut saying that he’s a promising horse and could show the best of himself on reappearance. But the son of Stormin Fever crusied to a well-deserved victory to beat the elder ones in great style. Public favourite Boss Professor dropped behind to finish a disappointing sixth as Skycruiser took the second spot and Tropical Blue was close third.

Rochefort, ridden by Richard Mullen, did the better work in the last strides to deny William Supple a hat-trick when the Irishman was about to touch the wire on Aqmaar in the Commercial Bank of Dubai-sponsored 1400m final race of the afternoon.

The Satish Seemar-trained son of Red Ransom was always going well in the grandstand side as Canwinn and Aqmar were battling hard on the far side before Rkchefort quickened close home to claim the first victory for his owner Princess Haya in the local season.

hisham@khaleejtimes.com