Pick Six to go online for Jebel Ali horse race meetings

Dubai - Fans can still be a part of the action despite not being there

The Jebel Ali Racecourse, popularly known as the 'Family Racecourse,' will be without its passionate racegoers yet again with this weekend's 11th horse race meeting of the domestic season restricted to connections, sponsors and the media, because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But then, fans can still be a part of the racing even without being there. Apart from watching it live on television or on their phones, regular racegoers can also take part in the popular 'Pick Six' competition, which will be available online.
The Jebel Ali Racecourse management confirmed on Tuesday that running the competition digitally is a massive step to keep the fans involved despite not being physically present at the racetrack.
Usually, the competition takes place at the venue, where racegoers predict the winners on the day's card. The competition has a generous purse of Dh 40,000 on offer.
Apart from that, fans have the chance to win prizes through a raffle and almost everyone returns home a winner from the historic Racecourse.
"The Jebel Ali Racecourse management, in cooperation with the Dubai Horse Racing Information Centre and Al Adiyat Magazine, have launched a new and unique electronic Pick Six competition for Jebel Ali racing which takes place on Friday, as well the coming race meeting on April 3," the Racecourse said in a statement.
"The idea of the remote Pick Six competition is a way for the racecourse to display its gratitude and appreciation to fans for their continued support and contributions adding vitality and excitement to the races," Shareef Al Halawani, Director of Jebel Ali Racecourse, said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the weekend will see a rich eight-race card with the highlight being the Jebel Ali Classic (Silver Jubilee), a conditions race to be contested over seven furlongs.
The card also includes an intriguing race for three-year-old fillies and is titled Shadwell Farm. This conditions race too will be a 1400 metres affair.
The feature race has a full field with five of the 16 runners racing in the blue silks of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Minister of Finance, a huge supporter of horse racing at Jebel Ali and in the UAE. The five are trained by three different conditioners in multiple UAE Champion Trainer Doug Watson and Emirati handlers Ali Rashid Al Rayhi and Musabbeh Al Mheiri.
Meanwhile, Watson will be aiming for a hat-trick of wins after his Shamaal Nibras had won the previous two editions of the Classic.
The American trainer also has Mystique Moon, third in a handicap over eight furlongs, last time out at Meydan.
Dubai-based Indian conditioner Satish Seemar, who is highly tipped to land the UAE Trainers' crown, has four runners in Medahim, Ode To Autumn, Pilgrim's Treasure and Riflescope.
"We have a very good card this week with full fields in nearly all of the races. We have an eight-race card that should be interesting as well so it will be a long afternoon of racing," Yasir Mabrouk of the Emirates Racing Authority (ERA), said.
james@khaleejtimes.com