Costa steals show at Jebel Ali Racecourse with stunning treble in season opener

Beneath a blazing sun and the roar of a passionate crowd, the track buzzed with the rhythm of galloping hooves as Jebel Ali Racecourse roared back to life in spectacular fashion on Saturday.

Making his intentions clear, resident trainer Michael Costa dazzled with a treble at the first meeting of the Jebel Ali season, while the groundbreaking Daaeemm programme made its debut with three races.

The Daaeemm scheme, a pioneering incentive programme designed to elevate the profile of horse racing in the UAE, was unveiled just days earlier. The first-of-its-kind initiative was launched to inject fresh energy into the sport by enhancing prize money and encouraging broader participation.

Costa’s winning run began with the second race, the Al Shafar Investment Stakes (the Daaeemm Incentive Race opener), where Malhouf (USA) delivered a sharp performance under Ray Dawson, narrowly edging out Musabbeh Al Mheiri’s Royalcorrespondent.

Momentum continued in the third race of the card, the Opening Day Sprint Stakes, sponsored by the Emirates Sprint Series, as Attwaal surged home under a confident ride from Silvestre De Sousa. Doug Watson’s runner, Tourist, attempted to make headway, but Costa’s four-year-old gelding unleashed a final burst in the closing stages to snatch victory.

The standout moment came in the feature of the seven-race card, the Season Opening Cup, where Elraeed (GB), ridden by De Sousa, edged out Morning in a dramatic photo finish. The son of Dubawi clinched a narrow win, securing Costa’s third success of the day and completing a double for De Sousa.

“It was a fantastic opening day. I’m delighted it went so well, and I’d like to extend my congratulations to all the owners, trainers, and jockeys who claimed victories,” said Mohamed Al Ahmed, General Manager of the Jebel Ali Racecourse.

“With a large and passionate crowd in attendance, the atmosphere was electric — thank you to all the fans who joined us. Today marked the start of the Daaeemm initiative, which kicked off with three exhilarating races.

“The format ensures winners have secured qualification into the next round and into the handicap phase, which adds a compelling layer of competition moving forward.

“I’m excited about the upcoming race days, from which we can continue to build this concept and elevate the series. I’d also like to express our sincere thanks to all the sponsors for their generous support,” he added.

Champion trainer Bhupat Seemar wasted no time making his mark after Diamond Dealer dominated the Orient Irrigation Cup (Daaeemm Incentive Race), with a commanding performance that left rivals trailing.

“Diamond Dealer won beautifully — he was very impressive today,” Seemar said. “It was a productive day overall for us, as we were represented in five races, securing one victory and three third-place finishes.”

Qaiss Aboud had plenty to celebrate at Jebel Ali’s season opener, completing a memorable double.

The afternoon began with a statement in first race, the Porsche Cup, where AF Munafeya (AE), trained by Aboud and ridden with precision by Hamed Al Busaidi, powered home to claim the opening honours.

The victory was made even sweeter by a one-two finish, as stablemate AF La Manas followed closely behind in second, underlining Aboud’s early dominance and tactical placement.

Later in the card, Aboud returned to the winners’ circle in the Commercial Bank of Dubai Stakes, where Goldspur (IRE), partnered by Leandro Chimenes, delivered a gritty and determined performance. In a nail-biting finish, Goldspur edged past Kibo Misaki, trained by Salem Bin Ghadayer, to seal the win in one of the day’s most thrilling contests.