Saturday, February 07 2009

Million dirham battle at Abu Dhabi on Sunday

Sunday’s tenth meeting of the season at Abu Dhabi, kindly sponsored by Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, is undoubtedly the best card of Purebred Arabian racing staged this campaign.

The highlight is the one million dirham HH The President’s Cup, a Group 1 contest over 2200m and one of the most valuable races of its type in the world.

Friday, January 30 2009

Arrow hits the bulls eye

Erwan Charpy maintained his dominance in Thoroughbred Listed races this season when saddling Golden Arrow to win Friday’s Jebel Ali Mile, kindly sponsored by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Derrinstown Stud.

There have now been four such races, two at Abu Dhabi and two at Jebel Ali, and the Frenchman has won all four after Tadhg O’Shea steered his six-year-old to a brave victory in a race they had been second last year.

Thursday, January 29 2009

Jebel Ali mile contest this friday

Friday’s seventh meeting of the season at Jebel Ali is highlighted by the Listed Jebel Ali Mile, kindly sponsored by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Derrinstown Stud and for which ten have been declared.

Sheikh Hamdan owns two of the runners and his retained jockey, Richard Hills, has elected to ride UAE debutant Hello Morning who was highly tried during his spell in France.

Sunday, January 25 2009

Aqmaar claims feature at Abu Dhabi

Richard Hills may only have had three rides on Sunday evening’s Abu Dhabi card, kindly sponsored by Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, but he won on two of them, including Aqmaar in the featured 1400m handicap.

The only race for Thoroughbreds, it produced the best finish of the night with Hill’s mount prevailing in a driving finish from Ans Bach, winner of the 2007 HH The President’s Cup over course and distance.

Saturday, January 24 2009

Ans back at Abu Dhabi

Racing returns to Abu Dhabi this Sunday with a seven race card kindly sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and highlighted by a 1400m Thoroughbred handicap for which the weights are headed by the Dhruba Selvaratnam-trained Ans Bach.

Winner of the 2007 HH The President’s Cup, over the same course and distance, he was second over 1600m at Abu Dhabi on his return and clearly likes the Capital’s course.

Friday, January 23 2009

Champion in another League

League Champion, trained by Rashed Bouresly, was the impressive winner of the featured 1200m handicap, kindly sponsored by Shadwell Stables, at Jebel Ali afternoon on Friday afternoon.

Fourth in the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint the previous evening, he was clearly unfazed by his quick return to action and won going away.

Thursday, January 15 2009

League to prove he’s champion at Jebel Ali

Jebel Ali stages a seven race card on Friday afternoon with the featured 1200m handicap again kindly sponsored by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Shadwell organisation.

Thirteen have been declared for the AED100,000 dash with the weights headed by the Rashed Bouresly-trained League Champion who has run both his best races locally on this course.

Monday, January 12 2009

Royal proves his class

The opening round of the Arabian Triple Crown, kindly sponsored by Hydra Properties, over 1600m was the feature race at Abu Dhabi on Sunday evening.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan’s retained jockey Richard Hills was seen at his very best on top-weight Royal Class, rained by Gill Duffield, who reversed recent course and distance form with Elmalak Elwaheed, who chased him home.

Saturday, January 10 2009

Arabian triple crown opens this Sunday at Abu Dhabi

Racing returns to Abu Dhabi this Sunday with a seven race card highlighted by the opening round of the Arabian Triple Crown, a 1600m contest carrying Listed status and kindly sponsored by Hydra Properties.

Purebred Arabian stars such as Parador and Nez D’Or have won this in the past, while last year’s winner Abu Alemarat went on to become the first to win all three legs.

Friday, January 09 2009

Plavius takes feature but Watson and Jara in treble form

Friday afternoon’s meeting at Jebel Ali was a rescheduled fixture from the previous week when called off after the sad death His Highness Sheikh Rashid Bin Ahmad Al Mualla, the ruler of Umm Al Quwain.

The Shadwell organisation of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum again sponsored the afternoon’s feature, on this occasion a 1600m handicap which was won impressively by Plavius.

Thursday, January 08 2009

Alo Pura to win as Jebel Ali rearranges fixture

There is racing at Jebel Ali on Friday afternoon with the course having rescheduled the meeting called off last week after the sad death of His Highness Sheikh Rashid Bin Ahmad Al Mualla, the ruler of Umm Al Quwain.

The Shadwell organisation of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum again sponsor the feature race with the name of Kingwood House Stables attached to the main 1600m handicap.

Thursday, January 01 2009

Mannjal seeks third victory at Jebel Ali

The Shadwell organisation of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum again sponsor the feature race at Jebel Ali on Friday afternoon with the name of Kingwood House Stables attached to the main 1600m handicap.

Owned by Sheikh Hamdan, Marcus Tregoning trains from the Lambourn training establishment.