 |
|
| Staff Writer |
 |
Thoroughbred racing will be the main attraction at Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club this time, as the field prepares to compete in the HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup. This race is the highlight of Sunday's six-race program.
The 1700m contest at Meydan Racecourse has attracted several serious milers who have performed well under more competitive conditions. Ajuste Fiscal, a recent winner trained by Julio Olascoaga, is among the top hopes in the field. This 7YO Ioya Bigtime gelding has never raced outside of Dubai, making this his racecourse debut. With Jose da Silva returning to take the ride, Ajuste Fiscal is expected to be as potent as he was when winning over 1900m at Meydan a month ago.
Ajuste Fiscal, who finished sixth behind his stablemate Atletico El Culano in his last race, has a lot of experience in big matches and could be a strong contender this time. Despite being preferred over him by jockey Da Silva, Ajuste Fiscal has what it takes to win.
Street Mood, a 5YO entire sired by Street Boss and trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, is another promising horse to watch out for. He has won three times on the mile strip at Meydan and is race-ready with three starts this season.
Although he hasn't performed at his best this season, there is enough evidence to suggest that Southern Artist is poised for a strong showing in this race. He will be joined by Laasudood, a winner of a 1400m race at Meydan in December, who has shown stamina for longer distances. Forest Falcon, trained by Salem bin Ghadayer and ridden by Royston Ffrench, has improved in his last two starts and could also be a strong competitor.
The remaining part of the card focuses on Purebred Arabians. It includes two maiden races, one over 1700m and the other over 2000m, specifically for 4YO and older UAE Bred horses. Additionally, there will be a handicap race (0-65) also contested over the 2000m distance.
One of the main events in the Purebred Arabian race lineup is the 1700m handicap (0-75) for runners aged four and above. This race features the debut of the 6YO AF Albahar mare AF Mathakeel, trained by Ernst Oertel. She won her first race at Jebel Ali in a 1400m run two starts ago and was second in a handicap on turf at Abu Dhabi. Despite Jaber Bittar's strong contender, Zammam, who recently claimed a first-ever career success over the 2000m strip here, AF Mathakeel could be the one to beat.
Randa finished fourth at this time last year when she was under the care of Salem Al Ketbi's yard. However, after being transferred to Dennis O'Brien, the 5YO mare Abu Alemarat has had a victory in a 1400m event at Abu Dhabi.
Oertel and Irfan Ellahi have a strong presence in the 1200m 0-70 handicap for UAE Bred horses aged four and above. AF Al Ahkaf and JAP Al Afreet, both belonging to the pair, stand out with two sprint wins each, further enhancing their reputations.