Racing to victory
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Racing to victory |
Supple, widely tipped to complete a unique third championship hat-trick, had gone winless in 21 races prior to Triple Eight's victory in the Rossini-sponsored sprint.
Although the Irish jockey has plainly been slow off the starting blocks this season, there were sufficient skills on display during yesterday's performance to convince his fans that he hasn't lost any of the brilliance that helped him win a record 75 races last season. Triple Eight's win also came as a relief to Supple's retaining trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam, who as well opened his account for the season.
"It's good to get your first winner," he told Gulf News. "We're not expecting too much this season, but you know its nice to have that winning feeling." Selvaratnam was also pleased with the manner in which Triple Eight, a full brother to the Jebel Ali Stables' champion sprinter Ramp And Rave, won his maiden.
"He ran a little green, which is understandable. But he'll have to improve a lot more on that performance. We're hoping he will, because he's a nice horse." Selvaratnam, a two time championship trainer, bought the son of Ramplett as a yearling in the U.S. for Australian owner Kim Elliot, a former Dubai-based businessman.
Interestingly Elliot, who has since returned to his native Australia, was at the Jebel Ali Racecourse yesterday to watch Triple Eight win his first ever career start. While Selvaratnam has struggled for his first win, former champion trainer Kiaran McLaughlin's stable scooped a hat-trick of wins with Mumtaaz, Kharir and Keltoi, while the Satish Seemar-Ted Durcan combination scored a smart double for owner Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.
One of these wins came in the form of Mushaagib, who only five days earlier won a seven furlong race at Nad Al Sheba for the same team. The five-year-old son of Magus showed noteworthy adaptability to a new surface and track, when he rallied well under Durcan inside the final furlong to beat fancied runner Hafid du Bac, the mount of Dane O'Neill.
But the win that would really have pleased former champion trainer Seemar, and not least Sheikh Rashid, must have been Cable Media Boy's 3.5 length beating of a competitive nine-horse thoroughbred field over six furlongs. Making his first start in the UAE, the three-year-old son of Great Commotion displayed a big heart and an even bigger stride to score a convincing win from Moon King and Elshabiba.
World Cup winning jockey Richard Hills won the day's feature race in the absence of the big home hope Try Prospect, who was withdrawn at the start by order of the Stewards, after rearing on entering the stalls and unseating his rider Supple.
Kharir, who had earlier not won at this venue, revealed strong acceleration to stave off top rated Abreeze, ridden by Durcan and Dance Band, the mount of Chris Avery.