Rowan Anderson |
Abu Dhabi hosts a six-race card on Thursday highlighted by the Group Three Arabian Triple Crown Round 2 as well as the Group 2 Liwa Oasis, both for Pure Arabians.
In the Triple Crown, race four, over 2200m worth AED $300,000 a field of 11 will travel the journey. The top-rated hope is the Helal Alalawi trained Joe Star (112) for the National Stables ownerships. The 4YO Al Mourtajez x Guest Del Falot colt has lined up four times in his career for two wins and one of those came in his last start, his only local run so far winning by 3.25 lengths.
His other win was in the Group Three Tidjani Arab along with a third placing in the Group One Qatar Arabian Trophy Des Poulains Stakes at Saint Cloud and a second placing in the Group One Al Rayyan Cup, five lengths behind the Francois Rohaut trained Al Ghadeer. He will be returning to the track after a 40-day break and will be readied to lead the pack here.
Another interesting prospect here is the 4YO Nadia Du Loup who returns after a 28-day break since finishing third in the Listed Arabian Triple Crown Round 1. In her other UAE start she stepped out in a 1600m conditional race in Abu Dhabi winning and piling on 11 lengths on the field. Before debuting in the UAE, the Suliman Al Ghunaimi trained Af Albahar x Sirene Du Loup filly took the spoils in the Group Three Prix Nevada II by a half-length.
In the other highlight, the Liwa Oasis, a favourite should be the 5YO Bahar Muscat trained by Ibrahim Al Hadrami. With nine starts in his career he has had five trips to the winners circle and two further placings. The Af Albahar x Maadi entire took out the Listed Abu Dhabi Championship (2021) by close to six lengths, the Arabian Triple Crown Round 1 by three lengths and his Group company experience includes a third place in the Group Three Arabian Triple Crown Round 3 last year and a second placing in the Group Three Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup. His form and stats can not be denied and he will be fresh off the back of a 68-day let up.
The highest-rated hope in the field is Af Alajaj trained by Ernst Oertel. The 6YO has lined up 13 times recording six wins and four placings. With all starts being in the UAE he has taken the spoils in the Group Two Mazrat Al Ruwayah and Group Two Bani Yas last season, Tadhg O’Shea has been in the saddle in every single start partnering with the horse.
The only race on the card for thoroughbreds is the closing race, the Dames Stables handicap. The highest-rated hope on the card is Silent Defense trained by Rashad Bouresly who has raced three times and yet to break his maiden.
The first race starts at 5PM with the Al Maha Stables Maiden over 1400m.