Jara jets in to spice up new desert campaign

The final season at Nad Al Sheba racecourse begins tonight as racing in the United Arab Emirates resumes.

The futuristic new track at Meydan will take over the staging of racing in Dubai for 2009-2010 but the final season at Nad Al Sheba will be enlivened by the presence of Panamanian jockey Fernando Jara.

The 20-year-old partnered Invasor to land the 2007 Dubai World Cup for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and owner Hamdan Al Maktoum and the latter has moved to secure Jara's services for the Nad Al Sheba season. Jara has struggled with injuries since suffering a fall at Hollywood Park in December last year but will team up with UAE champion trainer Doug Watson, to have his first rides tonight.

With the British Flat season finishing this weekend, Richard Hills, Sheikh Hamdan's No1 rider, has made his way to Dubai earlier than usual.

He said: "It has been a while since I have come back this early but I am looking forward to getting back in the swing of things back in the UAE."

Other jockeys wintering in Dubai include Ted Durcan, Richard Mullen, Royston Ffrench and Tadhg O'Shea.

O'Shea misses tonight's first meeting as he gets married tomorrow.