Costa completes treble, Crisfords land Jebel Ali Racecourse feature

Amidst the vibrant festive atmosphere that Jebel Ali Racecourse is renowned for, resident trainer Michael Costa cemented his dominance on home turf with a resounding hat-trick of wins on Saturday.

The fifth meeting of the season was electrifying, with Costa orchestrating impressive victories for Ajdayet, Mojeyrr, and Wessall, adding to his already formidable tally of 22 wins for the season.

In the 1400m Al Shafar Investment Cup, Ajdayet thundered to victory, leaving his rivals in the dust.

The 1200m ESS Sprint Stakes sponsored by the Emirates Sprint Series saw Mojeyrr unleash a burst of speed, claiming the coveted prize. Finally, in the aptly named Glorious Saturday Stakes, Wessall capped off the hat-trick with a decisive performance.

Nevertheless, the true highlight of the day unfolded in the featured race, the 2024 Cup sponsored by Shadwell, where the dynamic father-and-son team of Simon and Ed Crisford introduced the impressive newcomer, Swing Vote.

This son of Shamardal, previously under the training of Andre Fabre for Godolphin, made a dazzling debut in the UAE and at Jebel Ali, expertly guided by Christian Demuro. Swing Vote exhibited the necessary surge of energy, securing victory in the 1600m handicap and fending off a late challenge from Salem Bin Ghadayer’s Tenbury Wells.

In the third spot, a length and a half behind, was Delorean, the favored entrant from Ahmad Bin Harmash’s stable, with jockey Beasley in the saddle.

The Crisfords had previously tasted success in the 2022 Jebel Ali Mile with Algiers, a teammate of Swing Vote under Rabbah Racing. Algiers displayed impressive progress by winning Rounds 1 and 2 of the Al Maktoum Challenge, both prestigious Group 2 races. The talented horse then concluded the season with a narrow second-place finish in the prestigious Group 1 Dubai World Cup.

Expressing delight over another successful meeting, Mohamed Al Ahmed, General Manager of Jebel Ali Racecourse, said: “The fifth meeting of the season at Jebel Ali Racecourse was a dazzling affair, graced by the presence of esteemed guests like His Excellency Sheikh Daij Bin Salman Al Khalifa and David Loder. The excitement wasn’t limited to local champions, with international winners adding to the festive spirit.

“Our resident trainer, Michael Costa, bagged a phenomenal three wins while we celebrated the approaching New Year with a vibrant festive theme. With 12,000 captivated racegoers in attendance, it was a fitting finale to 2023.

“But the thrills are far from over! Six more meetings remain in the season, and each promises a unique theme, keeping the anticipation high. We eagerly await the arrival of our most prestigious races, all set to be spectacular.”

The remaining six meetings include three internationally recognised stakes races — the Jebel Ali Stakes, Jebel Ali Mile, and Jebel Ali Sprint.

“I would like to thank Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid al Maktoum, Engineer Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, Member of the Board of Directors and Director General of the Emirates Horse Racing Authority, and the entire Jebel Ali Racecourse organizing committee for their unwavering support. It is their dedication that has paved the way for the successful completion of the first five races,” Ahmed added.

Earlier, the card opened with the Wathba Stallions Cup, a 0-100 handicap sponsored by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival, the only race for Purebred Arabians, in which Demuro claimed the first of his two winners of the day aboard Helal Alalawi’s Itchy De Nacre, who edged Ernst Oertel’s AF Maqam (Tadhg O’Shea) in a closely contested finish.

“That was brilliant from Demuro, who got him to hit the front on the line. A splendid ride and we were expecting him to come forward from the previous run here where he was third over a longer distance,” Alalawi said.

Shababy, trained by Julio Olascoaga, secured his first victory on his third outing in the 1600m Bin Dasmal Group Cup maiden for juvenile colts and geldings. The Tonalist colt, guided by Jose da Silva, clinched the win by three-quarters of a length, overcoming Velvet Cactus, with Muntasir securing third place by a similar margin.