Messi scores a Jewel Crown

By Duane Fonseca

Abu Dhabi: Messi won one of the biggest prizes in Purebred Arabian racing when scoring a comfortable three and a half lengths success in the Dh5 million Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club yesterday.

Field King: Piloted by Dobbs, Keersmaekers' charge Messi scores in the Jewel Crown at Abu Dhabi Friday night (ERA)

Contested over a 2200m trip, the race brought together 16 of the best Purebred Arabians from around the world, with Al Ain based Helal Al Alawi’s RB Frynchh Dude setting the pace until Messi took over at the 300m mark to build a solid lead at the finish.

Trained by Timo Keersmaekers and ridden by Pat Dobbs, Messi tracked RB Frynchh Dude without much fuss and when asked to go he was more than ready to oblige. Ali Rashid Al Rayhi’s Al Zahir finished second in the hands of Dane O’Neill, edging Frederic Sanchez’s Hayyan with Antonio Fresu up to third by a short head. RB Frynchh Dude faded to finish ninth in the hands of Pat Cosgrave.

Jebel Ali resident trainer and jockey pair of Nicholas Bachalard and Ryan Curatolo won the 1600m Listed Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup, which was the only Thoroughbred race on the card, with Boerhan, who headed Satish Seemar’s Medahim with Richard Mullen up on the line.

Boerhan (yellow) winning from Medahim (ERA)

Boerhan won by a short head with Salem bin Ghadayer’s Royston Ffrench piloted Mailshot a further short head back in third.

Curatolo scored a second success on the night with Jean de Roualle’s Harrab in the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival handicap over 1400m.

Ernst Oertel and Tadhg O’Shea nailed the PA Group 3 1600m Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup with AF Alwajel, while trainer Abdallah Al Hammadi scored an early card double when winning the first two races on the card.

AF Alwajel scoring for Ernst Oertel under Tadhg O'Shea (ERA)

Hameem (Adrie de Vries up) brought Al Hammadi a first success in the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup, a Conditions event over 1600m, while his second came courtesy of the Connor Beasley ridden Winked in the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup, another Conditions event over 1600m.