(MENAFN-Khaleej Times) arabians and thoroughbreds in action at concluding meet
Sunday’s final meeting of the season at abu dhabi features not only the group 1 purebred arabian emirates championship but also their biggest thoroughbred race of the season, the group 3 abu dhabi championship.
Both races are over 2,200m and both the 2013 winners are back to defend their crowns. majed al jahouri saddle four in the emirates championship, all owned by shaikh mansour bin zayed al nahyan, deputy prime minister and minister for presidential affairs, including musharab, winner of this race last year.
However, harry bentley, who was in the saddle on that occasion, rides stable companion naseem, already winner of group 1 al maktoum challenge i at meydan racecourse.
Musharab on way to winning at the abu dhabi equestrian club racecourse. — kt file
Remarkably, al jahouri has saddled shaikh mansour-owned runners to win the first six purebred arabian group 1 contests of this uae season and they also have merzal and rasikh in the field as they try and make it seven.
Al jahouri said: “naseem and musharab would have to be our best chances and naseem already has a big-race win to his name this year. that was over 1,600m on the all-weather and this 2,200m trip suits him better, as does the turf. he should have a big chance.
“musharab has been running well enough and these are his optimum conditions. we expect another big run from him but merzal and rasikh need to improve on what they have shown here in the uae. their french form was good but they have yet to transfer it.
“it has been a great season so far and hopefully that can continue on sunday.”
If they can combine to win this, only the dubai kahayla classic on dubai world cup night, on saturday march 29, stands between shaikh mansour and al jahouri completing a group 1 clean sweep.
Albar lotois and richlore, trained by eric lemartinel and ernst oertel respectively, look the main dangers.
The thoroughbred equivalent, the group 3 abu dhabi championship, was won last year by jutland for doug watson. he has yet to win since but has been running well in defeat. his regular pilot, stable jockey, pat dobbs, again takes the ride and watson said: “we know conditions suit him and he has faced a few stiff tasks this year but, on the whole, ran well. he seems to save his best for this time of year and he should run his normal genuine race.”
After winning this 12 months ago, watson’s horse went on to finish a closing fourth in the group 3 dubai gold cup on dubai world cup night.
However, he will need to be at his very best if to defend his title, in a race no horse has won twice since it was inaugurated in 1993, with the mike de kock-trained mushreq looking a massive danger.
Still considered a dubai duty free aspirant in just under two weeks time, he was winner of last year’s group 2 al fahidi fort during the dubai world cup carnival and won at the first meeting of the race series, landing the listed singspiel stakes.
He has not been disgraced in three subsequent meydan racecourse outings, most recently beaten less than three lengths when fifth in the group 1 jebel hatta on super saturday last week.
One of four in the 2,200m contest owned by shaikh hamdan bin rashid al maktoum, deputy ruler of dubai and minister of finance, it is no surprise to see the owner’s retained jockey, paul hanagan, aboard de kock’s charge.
Hanagan said: “he won well at the first dubai world cup carnival meeting but things have not really panned out for him since and we know he is a good horse. it would be nice to think we can still get in the dubai duty free but he will have to win this well if that was to be the case.”
De kock saddled mr brock to win this race in 2009 and also has vasily among this year’s 12 declarations.
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