Forjatt targets more success at Jebel Ali

Forjatt ready to rumble

Jebel Ali Racecourse's final meeting of 2016 will be held on Friday afternoon.
This is a 1600m conditions race designed as a stepping stone towards the track's biggest race of the season, the Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile, on January 20, 2017.
Both races are over 1600m and Forjatt has won each of them in the past.
He was also first past the post in the 2015 Jebel Ali Mile, but subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
However, he still has eight victories to his name since joining Dhruba Selvaratnam about four years ago.
Forjatt is owned by Shaikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Selvaratnam's main patron and owner of Jebel Ali Racecourse.
The horse has had two Abu Dhabi outings so far this season, running well on both occasions, and despite a penalty and his advancing years, looks a big threat to his 11 rivals.
"He is approaching nine years of age now," said Selvaratnam.
"Just A Penny looked very good at the end of the last season and will be one of the contenders."
That sentiment was shared by Richard Mullen who rides Mawhub, one of two in the race for his main employer, Satish Seemar who also saddles Jadeer, the mount of apprentice Cameron Noble.
"Mawhub goes really well at Jebel Ali and has been working well," said Mullen. "It is a tough race though with Forjatt a very strong Jebel Ali performer and Just A Penny."
The race is sponsored by Shadwell, the UK arm of the worldwide breeding empire owned by Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, whose own famous blue and white silks will be carried by both Nolohay and Nathr.
The latter, the choice of the owner's retained jockey, Dane O'Neill, is one of three in the race trained by Doug Watson but yet to prove himself on dirt.
Stable companion, Grand Argentier though has won on a similar surface at Meydan in February and is a strong contender.
However, the trainer's best hope would appear to be Just A Penny, who won on four occasions at Jebel Ali last season.
The first of those victories was achieved in December last year but the horse seemed to thrive as the season progressed and ended the season winning his final three outings.
Just A Penny would have benefitted from a seasonal reappearance when well beaten in the Derrinstown Stud at Jebel Ali last month, over what is now probably an inadequate 1400m and he looks sure to go close.
"Just A Penny is a great horse and we expect a good outing from him on Friday," said Watson. "He has certainly improved since his first run of the season and will appreciate the extra 200m this time.
"There are few other options at the moment for either Nathr or Grand Argentier and this looks a good opportunity to try them for a second time at Jebel Ali where both have raced once previously."
Beachy Head who is trained by Ali Rashid Al Rayhi and is the mount of stable jockey Tadhg O'Shea, was impressive six weeks ago, winning a similar Jebel Ali race over 1400m and certainly cannot be discounted in a fascinating contest.
The last two UAE race meetings of 2016 are at Sharjah on Saturday and Meydan next Thursday.