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Derbaas, Raihan all out to conquer the Fort

Derbaas, Richard Hills up, faces the toughest test of his career as the Seeking The Gold horse seeks his first Group-2 success in the 1600m Al Fahidi Fort (turf) at the Meydan Racecoure on Thursday.

Trained by Ali Rashid Al Raihe at the Grandstand Stables in Dubai, the turf and AW track records smasher has to prove his worth against the improving Australian filly Raihana under the Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon.

Having won a 1600m AW Conditions contest on Meydan debut in the hands and heels of the UAE jockey Ahmed Ajtebi, Derbaas returned to action after a month break to set a new AW mile track record of 1.35.80 under Royston Ffrench.

Meanwhile, Richard Hills jumped on the horse to set another track record over the mile distance when the horse was shifted to the turf.

“He’s keen and honest and doing everything right,” said the national trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

“There’s nothing to worry about. We do respect all our opponents. There’s nothing easy, but my horse has a touch of class,” Al Raihe told Khaleej Times.

However, Raihana will be the immediate danger, but in all cases it’s going to be a very good and exciting race to the delight of the big crowd which is expected at the state-of-the-art facility this weekend.

The Elusive Quality filly has won as she liked over a longer distance at the same course last time out, but the decision of the South African trainer was to send her to the Mile trip. The exciting night kicks off with a 2000m handicap that attracted a small field of eight runners. The opening race marks the most welcome return of William Buick safely in the saddle after surviving a sad fall. Buick will reunite with the Jebel Ali specialist and the Jebel Ali Stakes winner Emmrooz who needs to show the best of him on the Meydan turf surface.

Lanfranco Dettori will reunite with Enak to face the challenge of Lancelot under Ryan Moore.

Top sprinter and winner of the Cathy Pacific Hong Kong Sprint, JJ The Jet Plane will be the one to beat in the 1200m AW handicap, the second race on the card. But the only disadvantage would be the tapieta surface on which the gelded son of Jet Master will be running for the first time.

The first leg of the second edition of the Meydan Masters kicks off with the 1600m AW handicap which sees top international jockeys from around the globe lining up for honours.

Defending champion Richard Hills will be looking for a strong start aboard the John Ryan-trained Final Drive while the American jockey Calvin Borel has every chance to strike with Haatheq.

Opinion Poll will start public favourite in the 2810m turf Listed fourth race of the night which sees nine stayers going to post.

In the fifth race, a 2200m AW handicap, Prizefighting, Hiroyuki Uchida in the saddle, looks good to land the second leg of the Meydan Masters with the mount of Maxim Guyon, Monte Alto has an outside chance to strike.

The final race, a 1400m turf contest, is a rep-match between Warsaw, Kevin Shea rides, and Hujalea which enjoys the 3kg allowance of the apprentice jockey Conor Hoban.

KT Selections: 1. Enak/ Lancelot 2. JJ The Jet Plane/ Alo Pura 3. Haatheq/ Final Drive 4. Opinion Poll/ Star Empire 5. Prizefighting/ Monte Alto 6. Raihana/ Derbaas 7. Hujalea/ Across The Rhine.

Day’s Best: JJ The Jet Plane.