(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Having tasted the first win as trainer in Sharjah last weekend, Gopi Selvaratnam will be looking to replicate that in his own backyard in the sixth horse race meeting of the season on Friday.
Gopi, who has taken over as trainer at the Jebel Ali Stables, is taking his first steps as a full-fledged handler this season.
And Gopi, who had seven runners across four race meetings in the season, partnered jockey Tom Marquand to saddle War Spirit to victory in the Sharjah Sports Thoroughbred Handicap, run over five furlongs.
But he is yet to score on his home soil - the Jebel Ali Racecourse. Gopi had four runners in the traditional season-opener at Jebel Ali at the beginning of the month but his best results were two fifth place finishes in the Shadwell Thoroughbred Handicap and ESM (E Sports) Thoroughbred Handicap.
Sholaan was fifth in the Shadwell, while Light Brigade took fifth in the ESM. Both were piloted by Tom Marquand.
Wekeyll had pulled up in the Al Redha Insurance Brokers Handicap, while Here Now was 12th in the ESM.
His two runners in Abu Dhabi - Haalick and Monolight - were sixth and 12th respectively in the UAE Martyrs Cup and Corniche Handicap.
Gopi will saddle four runners at Jebel Ali on Friday and is hoping to get that elusive win at home. "I would love that to happen soon," Gopi said at the Jebel Ali Racecourse on Tuesday.
Light Brigade will run across the same distance of 1400 metres in Race 2, with Royston Ffrench onboard, while Call To War is the ride of stable jockey Oisin Murphy in Race 3. Gobooll too runs in Race 3 with Paolo Sirigu on the mount. Here Now gets a run again with Murphy taking over from Daniel Redmond.
Gopi has pinned his hopes on Light Brigade, the four-year-old from War Front. Light Brigade is yet to score a win in eight runs since 2015. He has had two third place finishes in last year and in February this year.
"I would say Night Brigade," Gopi reckoned his best chance of a victory at Jebel Ali. "He's good in the weights and he likes the distance so, hopefully he will run well," he added.
Gopi is also hopeful of Gobooll, who is making his first run in almost a year. The nine-year-old has had 17 runs since 2011 with three wins. "Gobooll, he's an old horse and he likes this distance. Call To War should run a good race. He's also good in the weights. He's actually come on from last season. So, hoping for a good run," said Gopi.
Gopi is also pleased to have Oisin Murphy, the British flat racing champion apprentice in 2014, as the stable jockey. "He's been with us so he knows how we work and it does help a lot. Now, he's actually one of the top jockeys in the UK, if not the world, so hopefully it will be a good season. I know him. He was going to Hong Kong but he wanted to take a break from there, so, I asked him and he agreed right away. Apart from his skills, he has great knowledge of the game. He knows all about the horse's form, their breeding, he knows about the trainers, the different tracks, he's very knowledgeable," he explained.
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