Bits and pieces

WE SAW IT

Four-and-a-half years ago at an ordinary Geelong meeting a horse called Al Tharb won a 1500m Class 1 (i.e., one rung above a Maiden). It was the first win for Ahmed Ajtebi, a young rider from the United Arab Emirates who came to Melbourne as an apprentice with Australian John Sadler, who had just returned from training in Dubai.

At an extraordinary meeting in Dubai on Saturday night, Ajtebi, who is still an apprentice, had two extraordinary wins – at the World Cup meeting he was first home by 3-1/4 lengths in the Group 1 $US5million Dubai Duty Free (1777m), leading all the way (by a big margin) on Gladiatorus (B h 2005, Silic (Fr)-Gmaasha (Ire), by Kris (GB)), who paid $13 with English betting shops – there is no betting in Dubai; and in the Group 1 $US5 million Sheema Classic (2400m) he came from well back on $15 chance Eastern Anthem (B h 2004, Singspiel (Ire)-Kazzia (Ger), by Zinaad (GB to win by a nose in the last stride.

Ajtebi, now 26 or 28 according to various press reports, celebrated both wins in the manner he celebrated the Geelong breakthrough, standing high in the irons – at Geelong, stewards fined him $200; at Nad Al Sheba, the joy brought plaudits.

And so it should have, the tyro outriding some of the world’s best jockeys at one of the world’s richest race meetings. He judged the pace beautifully – from both ends of the field.

Atjebi, a camel rider as boy (he is reported to have had 200 winners from 3000 rides on camels), turned to horses on the advice of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. “He pushed me,” Ajtebi told English papers. “He said that the UAE had horses in training everywhere in the world, but Dubai had no jockeys. I told him that I had never ridden a horse in my life, but I would try.”

The young man is listed as having only two Australian thoroughbred rides, for the one win on Al Tharb (Ch g 2000, Grand Lodge (USA)-Pontal Lass, by Marauding (NZ), early in the 2004 season. Since then he has ridden up the ranks in Dubai and has had stints in South Africa and England. Last year, he had a winner at the Royal Ascot meeting before being sent back to Dubai because his visa was invalid.

Next step – and apparently not too far away – could be a new job as No. 2 to Frankie Dettori with Sheikh Mohammed’s world racing team, Godolphin. Yes, that’s the job Kerrin McEvoy left to return as top dog in Australia for the Sheikh’s Darley team.

By the way, Atjebi was no poor boy when he began his apprenticeship with Sadler in Dubai while the Australian (now Lloyd Williams’ trainer in Victoria) was training there – he turned up for the job in a Mercedes Sports. And Sadler gave him his first race ride on a thoroughbred, Junction Line at Nad Al Sheba in 2003.

“It’s just fantastic for him,” Sadler told The Age  of the World Cup wins. “He certainly had an apprenticeship with a difference as he came to me with a very wealthy background but a great preparedness to be successful as a jockey. His work ethic was good, but where the difference lay was that, for the first time, Sheikh Mohammed was making sure that the locals were being involved in the racing business.”

We saw two horses stand out in the fruitless chase of Gladiatorus and Ajtebi in the Dubai Duty Free: Luca Cumani’s Presvis, who came from last to finish second; and David Hayes’ Niconero (B g, Danzero-Nicola Lass, by Scenic (Ire)), who showed he is at the absolute top of his game at seven years of age with a strong fourth (although eight lengths from the winner) after successive Group 1 wins in Melbourne (the 1600m Futurity Stakes and the 2000m Australian Cup).

Presvis (B g 2004, Sakhee (USA)-Forest Fire (Swe), by Never So Bold (GB)) would be an exciting Cox Plate entry if Cumani were to travel him with the stable’s this year’s Melbourne Cup entrant(s), and would add quality and international flavour to Australia’s weight-for-age championship with Hong Kong trainer John Moore already declaring he wants to bring Collection (B g 2005, Peintre Celebre (USA)-Lasting Chance (USA), by American Chance (USA), super winner of last week’s Hong Kong Derby (2000m, for four-year-olds) for the Plate.

We saw an ever bigger winner than Gladiatorus. Well Armed (B g 2003, Tiznow (USA)-Well Dressed (USA), by Notebook (USA)) won the Group 1 $US6 million Dubai World Cup (2000m) on dirt by an amazing 14 lengths, with jockey Aaron Gryder patting the horse on the neck for the last 100m or so. It was the biggest win in the World Cup.

 Back home, we saw Nash Rawiller momentarily drop his hands 20 metres from the line on third placegetter Rock Kingdom ($4.60), beaten a half-head and a nose by Metal Bender ($4.40 favourite) and Sousa ($13) in the Group 1 $500,000 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) on Saturday.  Stewards did, too, fining him $2000 on top of suspending him from Sunday April 5 until midnight Friday April 17 – it might not have cost Rock Kingdom (Ch g 3, Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire)-Happy Empress, by St Covet) the $325,000 first prize, but it almost certainly  cost him second place (worth $100,000 to third’s $45,000), which would have changed quinella, forecast, trifecta and first four dividends.

Marquardt’s run in the Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill was a ripper. Jockey Peter Robl snagged the filly back to last from a wide gate and, still there on the turn, she powered inside and between horses to go down by a half-head to Indian Ocean. If owner Nathan Tinkler pays the $150,000 late entry for Saturday’s Group 1 $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) for Marquardt (B or br f 2, Shamardal (US)-Centrefold Angel (NZ), by Centaine) she should get at least some of it back – first pays $2 million, second $620,000, third $310,000, fourth $190,000, fifth $130,000 and sixth to 10^th $50,000. Tinkler has spent considerably more than $100 million in the past couple of years setting up the racing and breeding arms of Patinack Farm, so a breakthrough win in a feature race by one of his purchases would be welcome. Marquardt (named after the American centerfold model Bridget Marquardt) cost $100,000 at the 2008 NZ Premier Yearling Sale.

Connections of Victorian filly Rostova (B f 2, Testa Rossa-Space Talk, by Anabaa (USA)) will cough up their late entry – again it could be money well spent in a race that, now, appears to go a fair bit wider than the two favourites, Real Saga and More Joyous.

THEY SAID IT

“You’d go to war with him. He was fantastic.” Jockey Craig Williams after Niconero’s fighting fourth under extreme pressure in the Dubai Duty Free.

“She’s just a bit dour now after her last couple of runs (Group 1 and 2 wins in Sydney).” Rider Darren Beadman after Tuesday Joy’s struggling ninth in the Duty Free.

“He’s genuine, he knows how to put his head out.” Jockey Dan Nikolic on Metal Bender (B g 3, Danasinga-Jacqwin, by Bluebird (USA)), the Rosehill Guineas winner. Having also won the Randwick Guineas (1600m), horse, rider and veteran trainer Jack Denham will chase Sydney’s triple crown for three-year-olds in the Group 1 $1.6million AJC Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on April 11.

“He walks around with his head on the ground – he’s like an old farm pony.” Nikolic on Metal Bender’s laidback nature.

“I’ve got a good opinion of her and she’ll probably go to the Easter Cup.” Trainer of the moment Mick Price on Miss Maren, his oh-so-easy $1.65 winner of the Ethereal Handicap (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday. And if Miss Maren (Ch m 4, Stravinsky (US)-Deebee Lady (NZ), by Brilliant Invader) does well in the Group 3 Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on April 11, she might go on to the Group 1 $500,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 25. Laser surgery on a membrane in her epiglotis has got the mare back on track this campaign. Price has had 14 winners from 50 runners this month, 92-456 this season.

WE’LL WATCH IT

Make that we’ll watch them, meaning the five Group 1 races at Rosehill on Saturday – the $3.5 million Slipper is the standout, but don’t miss the $2.25 million BMW (2400m), the $400,000 George Ryder Stakes (1500m), the $400,000 Queen Of The Turf (1500m) for fillies and mares and the $400,000 Storm Queen Stakes (2000m) for 3YO fillies.

The progress of Brenton Avdulla is worth some study. The Caulfield apprentice has been taken along slowly by trainer John Moloney and, now, is worth every gram of his 3kg claim in the city. March wins include Saturday’s on Miss Maren, Hushrose at Sandown and Cocinero and Miss Badoura at Moonee Valley. And, claiming his country entitlement of 1.5kg, Avdulla rode a double at Yarra Valley yesterday.