Riflescope seen in action during last year's competition. File

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Seven races at Jebel Ali on Friday afternoon include a quality 1400m handicap to be contested by the maximum allowed field of 16, several of whom will have 2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival aspirations, headed by Canvassed.

Trained by Doug Watson for Sheikh Mohd Obaid Al Maktoum, the 5-year-old Shamardal gelding will be having just his second local start and is returning from a 386 day break.

Winner twice from just three outings in Britain for Roger Varian, he won both his all-weather appearances, but disappointed on his local and dirt debut over 1600m at Meydan last November.

Watson said: “He is a horse we are really looking forward to getting back on the track because we have always really liked him. Obviously he has not been straightforward and we could not get him back out last season, but he is in great form now and should run a big race.”

Another holding carnival claims is Riflescope, to be ridden by Richard Mullen for Satish Seemar.

Owned by Hot Scot Racing Stable & Michael Quinn, the 7-year-old gelded son of Raven’s Pass has won at Jebel Ali, over 1000m and has plenty of course form over this 1400m.

He has actually finished runner-up in the same early season course and distance handicap three years consecutively.

The official feature is a 1950m Conditions race, carrying a prize purse of Dhs100,000, restricted to horses who have not won more than one race, which has attracted a field of seven, three to be saddled by Frenchman Erwan Charpy.

Stable jockey Clement Lecouvre, still seeking his first UAE winner, rides Blue Sovereign whose sole career success was posted over 3000m at Al Ain in February.

French compatriot Fabrice Veron partners Cranesbill, a course and distance winner last November with UAE Champion Jockey, Tadhg O’Shea aboard the trainer’s third runner, King’s Shadow, a Jebel Ali winner over 1800m just over a year ago, when trained by Satish Seemar.

Charpy said: “Blue Sovereign has been in consistent form and we want to try him back at Jebel Ali, which he never liked before, now that they have improved the surface.

“Cranesbill likes it there and, if he does not get too far back early on, should be right there and we think King’s Shadow will appreciate conditions, so we hope we have three live chances.” Seemar relies on Lady Snazz, racing at Jebel Ali for the first time, but a Meydan winner in a 1900m maiden on her seasonal debut at the beginning of November.

Assistant trainer, Bhupat Seemar, said: “This looks a good race for her to try and win a second time and we get to try her at Jebel Ali as well. She is in good form and this looks an ideal spot given the race conditions.”

The race is sponsored by Shadwell, the breeding empire of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, whose world famous blue and white colours are carried by both Maqaadeer, to be ridden by Pat Dobbs for Doug Watson, and Karnavaal.

The latter, trained by Ali Rashid Al Rayhi, is the choice of the owner’s retained jockey, Dane O’Neill, and on official ratings at least, looks a massive danger to all. A 4-year-old homebred Dubawi gelding, this will be just his fourth local outing since leaving Britain and Sir Michael Stoute for whom he won a 1400m novice stakes as a juvenile on the Chelmsford all-weather.

The opening race for Purebred Arabian 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 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.

Shareef Al Halawani, Jebel Ali Racecourse manager, said in a press conference: “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.”