Jebel Ali Review Friday February 4th
By Martin Talty
Italian jockey Fernando Jovine's decision to double his workload and ride out for Grandstand Stables trainer Nick Robb paid dividends at Jebel Ali last Friday when he opened his UAE account with victory aboard Conflict in the day's feature.
In a thrilling four way finish Conflict prevailed by a short head from Fire Thunder with Mumtaaz a neck away third and Jila a short head away fourth.
Jovine is in the UAE to ride work for Godolphin and mixes that with some extra work for Robb at Grandstand. The work paid off as stable jockey Greg Hall opted for Charmes, however after leading the son of Personal Hope dropped out to finish last of the eight runners.
Fire Thunder had previously finished third in the opening round of the Maktoum Challenge and second in the National Day Cup, both Listed events, so the win of Conflict had plenty of merit, this being his first run in the UAE.
Gary Pinchen had tasted success earlier in the season and his decision to bring Levelled paid off with that horse's victory in the main sprint on the programme.
Levelled stretched out in fine style to defeat the Richard Hills-ridden Moonis and Proud Irishman.
Last season's champion jockey Willie Supple managed to sneak closer to leader Ted Durcan with his victory aboard Kondoty in the Maiden. Durcan, together with John Carroll, missed the Jebel Ali meeting having gone to Saudi Arabia to ride at the rich King's Cup meeting, Durcan riding Iscan and Carroll aboard Pozarica.
Kondoty ran right up to the form book, coming off a second behind Nowrass at his previous start and with that horse winning in better grade the previous evening at Nad Al Sheba, Kondoty was the horse to beat and he justified those thoughts.
