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| Staff Writer |
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Heros De Lagarde impressed everyone by using his signature speed to win the Group One race at Abu Dhabi on Thursday in the Emirates Championship, giving credit to AL Laith along the way.
With confident handling from his regular partner and title hopeful Connor Beasley, the talented grey, aged seven, had notably secured second place behind Al Laith at Meydan in his previous outing, competing in Group Two company just a week prior.
However, he showcased remarkable improvement at the capital venue, maintaining a graceful stride throughout the 2200m race before decisively seizing victory under Beasley's guidance.
Bahwan displayed tenacity to secure the silver medal, finishing a length behind under the guidance of rider Saif Al Balushi and trainer Saeed Al Shamsi, while Ajrad Athbah claimed third place with Bernardo Pinheiro in the saddle, trained by Majed Al Jahoori.
"He travelled around there lovely, and the only slight concern was the step back up in trip," said Beasley.
"However, I had a lovely run up the rail which probably saved me a few lengths and won me the race to be honest.
"We had a nice clean run through, and I could put his turn of foot to good use. He was obviously backing up quickly enough after his run at Meydan, but he was impressive again today and has had a really good season.
"It's all systems go for the Dubai World Cup meeting now and we'll keep our head down and keep kicking until then."
The opening race saw unexpected drama unfold as RB Bestevah abruptly veered left upon taking the lead, causing Charlie Bennett to be unseated from Al Barq. This mishap paved the way for Oscar Chavez, aboard HM Jazi for trainer Ahmed Al Mehairbi, to claim victory.
Chavez, the Panamanian rider, continues his streak of success, emerging as the primary beneficiary of the chaotic turn of events. With Al Barq out of contention and RB Bestevah losing ground due to erratic behavior, Chavez guided his mount to triumph by a length, with Munir (ridden by Bernardo Pinheiro and trained by Majed Al Jahoori) settling for third place, trailing by three-quarters of a length.
Fortunately, Bennett emerged unscathed from the incident and found redemption in the fourth race. He skillfully piloted Unlimited to a hard-fought victory in the 0-85 mares and fillies handicap for trainer Jaber Bittar.
Bennett's mount demonstrated resilience down the stretch, holding off a strong challenge from Shurooq Al Wathba, who also put in an admirable performance under the guidance of the jockey/trainer duo of Bernardo Pinheiro and Majed Al Jahoori.
"I thought I had a couple of good chances today, but obviously things didn't quite go to plan in the first race!" quipped Bennett.
"I knew this filly would run well as she won well here the other and her stable has her in great order now.
"She coped with the drop back in trip well and my filly is better over a bit further, so she was a bit flat out all the way. But I knew if I kept at her she would keep finding and that was the case, she did it well in the end."
In an impressive display of skill and composure, Swedish rider Malin Holmberg found herself without her whip but maintained her focus, guiding AF Rasam to victory in the closing moments of race three to secure the 0-85 handicap, narrowly defeating AF Ghayyar ridden by Charlie Bennett.
This hard-fought victory not only marked a 1-2 finish for trainer Erns Oertel and owner Khalida Khalifa Al Nabooda but also represented Holmberg's third triumph in the UAE.
"I didn't need the whip in the end and thankfully my horse really wanted to win and beat our rival so I'm grateful he tried so hard," said a delighted Holmberg.
Eye On The Prize, trained by Julio Olascoaga and ridden by Jose Da Silva, made a quick comeback to the track and a drop to 1400m distance proved to be beneficial, as the duo clinched victory in the 0-80 Thoroughbred handicap, representing the HKK Racing colors.
"He was an impressive sight on turf, a totally different horse, and he dominated the race beautifully," commented Olascoaga, who witnessed his four-year-old charge sweep past Ra's Al Hadd in the straight to win by a comfortable length. Chef De Partie finished in third place, trailing by a length and a half, with Richard Mullen in the saddle and Mohammed Mardood as the trainer.
Trainer Khalifa Al Neyadi's AF Yeheeb secured a hard-fought success in the 0-70 PA 1600m handicap under Allaia Tiar, marking his fifth win of the season. Meanwhile, Winds Of Fortune, trained by Doug Watson, found redemption for a narrow defeat at the Capital venue last month, blowing away the competition in the 2200m 0-75 handicap under the guidance of Pat Dobbs.