Racing at Al Ain on Friday, the penultimate meeting of the track’s season, is highlighted by the Al Ain Sprint, a 1000m dash with Prestige status for which five have been declared.
For his main employer, Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda and the owner's principal trainer, Ernst Oertel, Tadhg O'Shea partners the progressive Af Thayer , a winner four times from eight starts, including his two latest outings, most recently the 1200m HH The Crown Prince Of Sharjah, also a Prestige contest.
The 5yo homebred won that easily, as he did his previous outing in a handicap over this Al Ain 1000m, so is clearly in great heart and, representing such powerful connections, looks sure to run well.
However, on official ratings, his stable companion RB Kinetic is going to be hard to beat with Malin Holmberg riding in the silks of Byerley Racing. A 6yo mare, she is still seeking a first UAE success after five previous attempts, three of which starts were in Group company, but can boast six victories in her native US.
Twice raced over 1000m, she won her debut over this minimum trip in August 2019 and was also a Grade Three winner over both 1200m and 1600m before her switch to the UAE. A return to anything like that level of form could well be enough to win this but she does need to bounce back after four disappointing efforts (her local debut, when trained by Doug Watson was a promising fifth in the 2021 Group 2 Mazrat Al Ruwayah over 1600m on the dirt at Meydan.)
This will be her fourth start for Oertel, second on dirt, but she was well beaten on her debut for the yard, over this Al Ain 1000m, at the beginning of November. Her two subsequent outings were the only twice, in 14 starts, she has competed on turf, well beaten both times at Abu Dhabi.
Attempting to concede weight to his four rivals is Eghel De Pine, although trainer Khalifa Al Neyadi has booked apprentice jockey Saif Al Balushi to counter that. The 7yo gelding has raced on nine occasions, his sole victory being achieved in a 1400m Abu Dhabi maiden on just his second career start in December 2018 when trained by Eric Lemartinel.
A close fourth in that season's 2400m Group 3 Arabian Triple Crown R3, his penultimate start for previous connections, racing just once the following season.
That was in November 2020 and was then off until January this year and will be having his third run for current connections but has not threatened in either outing this year and is trying this trip for the first time.
The National Stables silks will be carried by the other two runners, both trained locally by Helal Alalawi. As a 4yo filly, Bernardo Pinheiro's mount, Al Khaleejy receives weight from her four rivals and is seeking a second career success having won a 1400m dirt maiden on his local debut at Meydan on New Year's Day.
Stable companion Megtah Albahar also has one victory to his name, a 1600m maiden here at Al Ain on his penultimate appearance. The 4yo colt has not run over a shorter trip than 1400m to date but has shown plenty of early speed and apprentice Gary Sanchez takes a valuable 2.5kg off his back.
The only Thoroughbred race on the card, a 1400m handicap, will be contested by a capacity field of 15 including course and distance winner Miniaturist, to be ridden by Pinheiro for Ahmed Al Shemaili.
Welcome Surprise was a 1600m maiden winner at Al Ain last March and is returning to the scene of that sole career success to date on just his fourth run of the current campaign and first this year.
