Brazilians Pinheiro and Paiva win in the first races in Al Ain

Jayide Al Boraq ridden by Bernardo Pinheiro

The new UAE racing season kicked off at Al Ain on Thursday, October 29, with a seven race card on which the best was saved to last. The finale being the featured 1000m handicap, won by course specialist Jayide Al Boraq, saddled by Khalifa Al Neyadi and confidently ridden by Bernardo Pinheiro.

Settled on the outside of the ten runners in about fifth, the 6-year-old entire always seemed to be travelling powerfully and was sent to the front inside the final 350m, quickening past eventual runner-up Al Mobher and soon with the race in safe keeping. All bar one of the horse’s eight career starts have been here at Al Ain where he was posting his sixth career victory, fifth for Pinheiro and fourth over this 1000m, the minimum trip.

A delighted Pinheiro said: “This horse just loves it here in Al Ain and the only time he was beaten on this course was over 1800m. He has a lot of speed for a Purebred Arabian as he has shown consistently. It is great to get a winner on the board at the first meeting of the new season.”

Mutaqadim ridden by Riccardo Iacopini

Veron looked set to gain quick compensation in the following 1400m maiden restricted to 3-year-olds, trying to make all aboard Almahroosa only to be headed in the dying strides by Riccardo Iacopini aboard Mutaqadim, saddled by Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.

In a race all 15 runners were making their debut, the winner showed real signs of greenness when asked to challenge, veering towards the runner-up 200m from home and almost throwing his chance away. However, the Royal Cavalry Of Oman homebred ran on strongly to snatch the initiative where it mattered. In doing so the apprentice maintained his 100% strike rate in the UAE having won on his only previous local mount, Bainoona, in the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Jockey Championship last November.

Al Hadhrami said: “We were quite hopeful because he is a nice colt, but he will certainly have learned a lot from that experience.”

Hameen ridden by José Santiago

Jose Santiago, sporting the lime green silks of Al Ajban Stables, partnered his first winner for three seasons when steering 3-year-old debutant Hameen to success in a 1600m maiden for Abdallah Al Hammadi. It was his first mount of the new campaign and clearly welcome after two blank seasons. Content to take his time in midfield, Santiago took the shortest route on the home turn before edging closer at the top of the long straight. Hitting the front with about 350m remaining, he found he had a willing partner and they ran out a relatively comfortable winner.

AF Almomayaz ridden by Sandro Paiva

A 1600m maiden for horses foaled in the UAE went to AF Almomayaz, bred by Al Nabooda but carrying the silks of Nasir Askar, worn by Sandro Paiva, the pair making it third time lucky in the process. Trained by Ali Rashid Al Rayhi, the 5-year-old was second over 1000m at Sharjah on his February debut before finishing third over 1400m here at Al Ain, Paiva in the saddle on each occasion.

Dalil De Carrere ridden by Fernando Jara

Previously a maiden after nine starts, 7-year-old Dalil De Carrere remedied that fact with a smooth success in the 1800m handicap with Fernando Jara in the saddle for Mohamed Daggash. Fourth, which he managed twice, was as close as he had finished previously, but he travelled strongly into contention approaching the final 500m and, once hitting the front with about 325m remaining, never looked in any real danger of being caught.

Source: Emirates Racing Authority