Al Raihe hat-trick

Top trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe celebrated UAE National Day in style by saddling a hat-trick of winners at a typically festive Jebel Ali Racecourse yesterday. As Emirati stick dancers, spinning Egyptian Tanoura artists and girls from the Salma Al Ansaria and Anisa Al Ansaria schools danced to the rhythms of Arabic music, the Grandstand Stables of Al Raihe continued the formidable form which has seen them win 16 races since the season began last month. Not for the first time the feature fell to a runner from the trainer's Nad Al Sheba base as Mujaazef stormed to his third successive win at Jebel Ali when making all the running in the Shadwell-sponsored conditions race over five furlongs. Sent off as a popular Pick Six selection, the in-form son of Dubawi held-off a late challenge from 2010 Jebel Ali Sprint winner Terrific Challenge to score by three-quarters of a length as last year's winner Spin Cycle ran a disappointing race. New star Mujaazef, who provided Richard Hills with his first winner of the season, has emerged as a new star for the high-flying Grandstand Stables and is a strong ante-post favourite to win this year's Listed Sprint at the course. The horse was part of a dominant day for Al Raihe, who had earlier won the Zayed University-sponsored maiden's race with Dhabyani Dream and then saw unfancied Mutual Force, with apprentice Saeed Al Mazroui in the saddle, land the concluding British University of Dubai handicap. "The horse has improved in leaps and bounds from last year," Al Raihe said of Mujaazef. "He won well and you would have to think about races like the sprint and perhaps even a trip to Meydan for him. "We have always thought that he would improve after we gelded him at the end of last season. And he has, he's a very exciting horse to have in the stable." Hills, who only recently arrived in the UAE for the new season, was delighted to get off the mark. "That is the best possible start to my UAE season and Mujaazef certainly seems to have improved for his summer break," he said. "He has a lot of speed but is gutsy as well, which he needed to be as the second threw down a determined challenge, but my horse has found plenty." Meanwhile, former champion trainer Dhruba Selvaratnam continued his strong showing at his home track when he saddled his seventh winner of the season with the six-year-old Ottaared.