Jebel Ali Racecourse culminated its 2025 racing calendar with a spectacular seven-race meeting on Saturday, delivering a compelling blend of unexpected results and commanding victories that captured the essence of its community-oriented racing ethos. The season finale, renowned for its family-friendly ambiance and unique uphill dirt track, lived up to its reputation as a nurturing ground for emerging talent while showcasing the prowess of established racing figures.
The afternoon’s competition was highlighted by two feature handicaps: the seven-furlong Glorious Saturday Stakes and the 1900-meter New Year Fest Stakes. In a dramatic turn of events, seven-year-old gelding Kafoo orchestrated a stunning upset in the Glorious Saturday Stakes. Ridden by accomplished jockey Conor Beasley, the son of Dubai World Cup champion Curlin demonstrated exceptional perseverance by surging through the inside rail to defeat The Camden Kid, while heavily favored Telemark could only manage third place after a late outside rally.
Kafoo’s victory narrative is particularly remarkable given his journey through three different training establishments since his 2021 debut under Bhupat Seemar. His current trainer, Uruguayan veterinarian Julio Olascoaga, has successfully revitalized the horse’s career, with Beasley noting post-race that the distance reduction and straight-track configuration perfectly suited the veteran performer.
The New Year Fest Stakes witnessed a vastly different outcome as Truth Explained delivered a crushing four-and-a-half-length victory under Panamanian jockey Oscar Chavez. Trainer Doug Watson strategically placed the bottom-weight runner following an unfavorable draw at Meydan, with Chavez executing a tactically masterful ride that demonstrated the horse’s relentless determination.
Racing luminaries Musabbeh Al Mheiri and Bhupat Seemar maintained their consistent excellence, each securing victories to conclude the meeting. Al Mheiri’s Sirocco Winds triumphed in the Al Shafar Investment Handicap over 1400 meters, while Seemar’s Elusive Trevor captured the closing Al Redha Insurance Stakes.
The successful season finale reinforced Jebel Ali’s distinctive position within the UAE’s racing landscape, combining competitive excellence with accessibility and community engagement. As the racing community looks toward 2026, the afternoon’s events demonstrated that exceptional racing experiences can flourish beyond the glamour of flagship venues through the combination of quality horseflesh, skilled horsemanship, and passionate spectators.