He partnered favourite horse Mutual Force to victory in the only Thoroughbred race on the card, a 2200m handicap, exactly a year and a day since his last ride in public.
Mutual Force, trained by his boss Ali Rashid Al Rayhi, has now won six times for the yard and, on all bar one occasion, Al Mazrooei has been in the saddle.
The jockey said: “It is obviously great to be back and especially with a winner for Ali who has always been a great support.
This horse goes well fresh and likes it here at Abu Dhabi so I was hopeful of a big run.
“Ali has always really supported me so I am delighted to ride a winner for him.”
The official feature, the 1600m Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Prep, was won fairly comfortably by Shateh who made all under Richard Mullen.
Trained by Majed Al Jahouri for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mansour Al Nahyan, he was completing a double for his jockey who had earlier employed identical tactics in a 1400m conditions contest aboard AF Ashras.
Mullen said: “It has been a good evening and I was hopeful of it being so on the way here as I thought I had some good chances.”
Trained by Ernst Oertel, AF Ashras races in the colours of his breeder, Khalid Khalia Al Nabooda and Mullen will be riding a lot for the pair this season.
They almost opened proceedings with a winner in the opening 1400m maiden but had to settle for second. Their AF Marrah led for a long way but was unable to withstand the challenge of Fernando Jara aboard AF Monsef.
Al Nabooda was not disappointed though as he is also owner and breeder of the winner, trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri.
Riding for HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Champion Jockey, Tadhg O’Shea landed a 2200m handicap for Eric Lemartinel aboard RB Dixie Burning.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan owned arguably the easiest winner of the night in the shape of Sanad. He led all the way, under Adrie de Vries, in a 1600m maiden for trainer Jean de Roualle.
