EMPOLI LANDS GLORY IN ABU DHABI
ABU DHABI: Champion Trainer Doug Watson, who has his team in flying form and after four winners at Meydan on Thursday, saddled the 1-2 in the featured 2200m handicap — the only Thoroughbred race on the card at Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
In a desperately close finish, stable jockey Pat Dobbs, who rode a treble for the trainer at Meydan, produced Empoli to lead virtually right on the line to deny stable companion Ostaad, who himself had only led for about 100m in a race where the lead changed hands regularly throughout the straight.
On his first start for Watson, Empoli, now a seven-year-old, was registering a third career victory and first since landing the Group 1 Preis von Europa at Cologne in 2014.
Fourth in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic, at Meydan, that same year, he looks an exciting recruit for Watson and his class was evident here as he looked to have nowhere to go for much of the straight.
Dobbs, seemingly equally impressed as he was relieved, explained: “The horse has a touch of class as we know from his past achievements and he has really helped me out of a bit of trouble there.
“It was very tight, especially on the turn and I did not have much room until halfway up the straight but, when we did get out, he has really picked up nicely.
“They went very fast until the first bend but then the pace slowed right up which caused a lot of the traffic problems and contributed to the exciting finish.”
The best of the Purebred Arabian action was a 1600m handicap and Antonio Fresu, fresh from a birthday winner yesterday and one at Meydan on Thursday, continued that run aboard AF Al Jahed.
Trained by Ernst Oertel for Champion Owner, Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda, he was sent straight to the front by the Italian and the pair were never headed.
They had to work hard for the victory though with first Dhamin, then Molahen El Alhan before a further, renewed effort from Dhamin, all repelled inside the final 150m.
It was a fourth career success, third at 1600m but maiden victory on turf for the winner who should be lauded for the determined attitude he displayed.