1-2 FINISH FOR LEMARTINEL AT AL AIN FEATURE RACE
AL AIN: Friday’s irst meeting of the new season at Al Ain Racecourse was highlighted by the Al Saad 1600m handicap in which Eric Lemartinel saddled half of the six runners and recorded a 1-2 for his main employer, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
However, stable jockey, Tadhg O’shea, had to settle for second on RB Rich Surprise who could not get past stable companion, Tahany, partnered by Royston Ffrench.
Lemartinel’s third runner, last year’s winner, Hamza, tried to make all under Jesus Rosales, just as he had done 12 months ago but they were swamped by the winner and runner-up more than 200m out, eventually fading to finish fourth.
Ffrench and Tahany, the only filly in the field, took up the running and ran on gamely, always looking to be holding the second, despite the frantic urgings of O’shea.
After drawing a rare blank at Meydan on Thursday, the flourishing partnership of Pat Cosgrave and Helal Al Alawi combined for their eighth success of the campaign when RB Fired Up led close home in a handicap over 1800m.
Making only his second start locally, having won once in the US, the winner looked likely to score easily early in the straight but, ultimately, had to work hard to pass AF Tathoor, only leading close home.
Meydan Du Paon finished well to snatch second from a tiring AF Tathoor.
Trainer and jockey wasted no time in completing a double with the hard fought success of Astral Du Loup in the following 1600m maiden. Like all 15 runners, making his debut, Astral Du Loup needed rousting from the off by Cosgrave to secure a position just behind the leaders.
Alawi completed a treble in the finale, a 1400m maiden, in which his Nawwaf KB, despite a slow start, came home in front under Connor Beasley.
The opening 1000m handicap was turned into a procession by Extra Hope, trained by Satish Seemar for the always affable Ali Haddad. Ridden by Richard Mullen, the six-year-old mare was soon in front and put the race to bed just after halfway when scooting clear of her 11 toiling rivals.
It was her first UAE victory, on her sixth attempt and second career success having won a 1700m maiden, at Delaware Park in her native USA, in October 2015.
The only Thoroughbred race, a 2000m maiden, was won by Quartier Francais under stable jockey, O’shea. Dawwass stayed on well to deny Avenue Of Dreams second.