Doug Watson is seeking a fifth success in the Jebel Ali Classic, the feature prize in Friday’s final meeting of the season at Jebel Ali.
The Red Stables trainer, who has won the prize every year since it was inaugurated in 2017, has three entered with stable jockey Pat Dobbs on board Kimbear the main hope.
The seven-year-old son of Temple City is a winner three-times for Watson, including the 2018 Group 3 Burj Nahaar and the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 in January 2020.
Dobbs has been aboard on each occasion with all three UAE victories registered over 1,600m on the Meydan dirt surface.
This will be his first appearance at Jebel Ali whereas stable companion Mystique Moon has three victories to his name over track and trip.
Sam Hitchcott rides the seven-year-old Shamardal gelding, which made a successful seasonal return in October. Fanaar, the mount of Dane O’Neill, completes Watson’s trio.
“Obviously we have done well in that race and we, hopefully, have three nice chances again,” Watson said.
“We know Fanaar and Mystique Moon like the track whereas it is an unknown for Kimbear, but if he handles it, he looks the best horse in the race.”
Adrie de Vries, who rides Madkhal for Bahraini trainer Fawzi Nass, shared similar sentiments.
A winner over the 1,200m distance at Meydan on his penultimate start, Madkhal failed to land a blow in the 1,600m Group 3 Burj Nahaar on Super Saturday.
“We missed the break last time which is why he did not run as well as we had hoped he would,” De Vries said.
“This will be his first time at Jebel Ali but we think it will suit him. He is training well and in good form, but Kimbear is a classy horse and will be hard to beat if he handles conditions that will be new to him also.”
The looming danger for them is Nicholas Bachalard’s Shamikh, who is unbeaten on the track in three starts.
“It is, basically, a big step up in class for Shamikh, but we do at least know he handles conditions well,” the Jebel Ali Stables trainer said of the American bred Lea colt.
“This will almost certainly be his last run of the season and he is a horse we are keen to try on turf sometime in the future.”
Musabah Al Muhairi’s Alkaamel under Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid’s retained jockey Jim Crowley is another to be considered.
The five-year-old Havana Gold gelding has been running consistently well, mostly at Meydan, without adding to his 1,600m success on that course last March, his final start of that campaign.
