It arrived in the twilight of his career however Soviet Star seven-year-old Keltoi finally secured the feature race win that he always promised with his win in the Listed Jebel Ali Stakes over 1,950m, at Jebel Ali on Friday.
Worth, Dhs350,000 (approx US$100,000) it was the richest race ever run at Jebel Ali and Keltoi improved on his second behind Dahik in last season's Jebel Ali Stakes to win this year's renewal.
Having already shown a distinct liking for the course and the fact that he was in peak form having won his previous two starts, at Jebel Ali first-up and then Nad Al Sheba, also helped however this was a win that was thoroughly deserved and gives him some much needed black type before heading to stud.
'We ran two in the race, Keltoi and Mackook, because they deserved their chances but we did have a slight leaning towards Keltoi,' trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said.
'Mackook has only ever won at Nad Al Sheba but he was going well at home so he deserved his chance while Keltoi has always raced well here.'
Having being allowed to settle back in the field by Eddie Ahern, Keltoi appreciated a solid tempo in front, set by Get Away With It. Pulled to the outside at the top of the straight, the eventual winner tracked up to the leaders nicely to be in a strong position to challenge at the 150m.
Get Away With It who led had raced clear and it did appear that he would hold on however Keltoi finished too well. Get Away With It again ran a very good race and is best when the pace is on from the outset.
Redbridge, having his first run of the season and now with Satish Seemar at Zabeel Stables, finished well for third, settling back last, about a length behind Keltoi, in the early stages. He tracked Keltoi throughout the race but when his rider, Daragh O'Donohoe wanted to get him to the outside he wanted to hang in slightly.
When he got to the outside he made good ground in the closing stages and he could be the one to follow from the race. Another is, without doubt Eclair. This son of Storm Bird went into the race way out of the handicap but produced a great performance for fourth.
He was taken on in front and looked to be dropping right out of the race as the field straightened but came again in a very good effort.
Last season's Maktoum Challenge winner Spindrift, another now with Seemar, ran well first-up, putting himself in a position to challenge at the 600m however his run ended shortly thereafter and he eventually finished sixth, beaten just over five and a half lengths.
Ahern made it a double for the day when winning aboard the Erwan Charpy-trained Jalaab in the final event of the day, a very competitive 1,400m 00-100 handicap. Jalaab led all the way to defeat the fast finishing Jila and the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Holy Pole.
While Keltoi achieved his deserved feature race success, there is no doubt the performance of the day came half an hour later when the Erwan Charpy-trained Zaya demoralised his opposition in the 00-95 handicap over the same course and distance.
Sent straight to the front by Dane O'Neill, Zaya gave nothing else a chance to win by over 10 lengths from Shaalayn, an impressive winner at his previous start.
The fact that he led throughout and ran over a second faster than Keltoi merely confirms the manner of his win here.
