Shareef Al Halawani and other dignitaries pose for a picture after the press conference.

Amir Naqvi, Sports Editor

The Jebel Ali Racecourse will host the fourth meeting of the season on Friday, which promises to be a thrilling seven-race card.

Though the card is highlighted by 1950m Conditions feature sponsored by Jebel Ali pillar partner Shadwell, the opening race for Purebred Arabians has also attracted a big field of 14, making the interest grow as far as the local breeders are concerned.

Trainer Ernst Oertel, who won the recently-held Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup in Abu Dhabi with AF Alwajel, sends out two strong contenders in the form of Af Mezmar and Af Al Moreeb.

The feature race carrying a prize purse of Dhs100,000 has attracted a small field of seven that includes a fair number of course and distance winners, more prominently Erwan Charpy’s Cranesbill.

Charpy saddles two others in the race with Blue Sovereign and King’s Shadow also readied for the run.

Charpy feels a change of surface might suit Blue Sovereign but hinted Cranesbill is definitely his big hope from among the trio.

“Blue Sovereign has been running consistently and has run there before, but he’s never liked the surface, but after the new surface was laid out we were keen to try him on it and I think he should put in a good performance,” Charpy said.

He added: “Cranesbill has done well for himself and is consistent too and if he doesn’t let himself drop too far in the field he’ll be right there at the finish.

“We ran King’s Shadow at shorter trips the last few times and he’s shown he probably needs to go further so we are going back him up on this trip. He’s won before at Jebel Ali over 1,800 and that’s why we are going there with him.”

Lady Snazz will represent Satish Seemar’s Zabeel Stables. The 4yo Curlin filly has never raced at Jebel Ali before and picked up a first career success on her seventh start at Meydan over 1900m last month, prompting connections to give the race a shot.

“Lady Snazz broke her maiden at the start of the season and the conditions here suit her fine. We aren’t sure if she likes Jebel Ali because she seems more suited to running on a flat track,” said Bhupat Seemar, assistant to Satish.

Maqaadeer and Karnavaal will carry the blue and white silks of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE’s Minister of Finance.

Ali Rashid Al Rayhi sends out Karnavaal, while Maqaadeer represents Doug Watson. The former, the pick of O’Neill, is making his fourth UAE start and second at Jebel Ali. A good fourth at Sharjah last time, that effort suggested he is capable of more and he has to be a leading contender here, from a good draw in one. Maqaadeer, meanwhile, finished a good third over a mile here last time out, enough to suggest that he may be capable of winning soon. He races without blinkers this time and is drawn in stall two.

Salem Al Sabousi, speaking on behalf of Shadwell, said: “Sheikh Hamdan is always proud to sponsor events at Jebel Ali Racecourse and has been a long-term supporter of racing activity here.

“We welcome the other sponsors of races and thank them for joining us on the sponsorship roster. We look forward to a good competitive day of racing and what promises to be an entertaining afternoon of racing.”

Shareef Al Halawani, Jebel Ali Racecourse manager, said: “We are happy to see big fields return to Jebel Ali Racecourse this weekend.

“Most of the afternoon’s races have attracted a large number of runners, which is very rewarding as we at Jebel Ali have been working very hard to ensure that the standard of racing is back to its very best.”