12 July 2018 – DIAR at Newbury, 29th July International Stakes ~ The last of the Dubai International Arabian Races prep races took place at Newbury Racecourse on Thursday, 12 July in the 29th July International Stakes with a 1mile 2f race for four-year-olds and upwards. This race concluded a tremendous campaign that beganin Italy at Capannelle racecourse in April. The prep race series has also taken in competitive heats at Bro Park in Sweden France, La Teste de Buch in France as well as Chepstow and Newbury.

Race video:

Two of the three runners that were representing this season’s leading trainer Phil Collington and were making their UK debut at the meeting having recently arrived from Qatar and attracted significant attention. Both bred in the purple and owned by HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Mohammed BK Al Thani, they looked on paper as the ones to beat, Ishfaq having won or been placed in all his five starts, and the only mare in the race, Sharesa having beaten black type competition in Doha.

In running, it didn’t look like the pair would get everything their way with a terrific run from the Adam Newey-trained Kamikaze for owners the Almost All Partnership tracking leader Ishfaq with The Royal Cavalry of Oman’s Laheeb getting a very positive ride from Anas Al Siyabi. As the field joined together across the track with two furlongs to go, Sharesa made her move under Tadgh O’Shea and won convincingly on the bridle.

Ishfaq was second under Sam Hitchcott Laheeb finished third and Kamikaze wasn’t far behind in fourth. Roswell had been pulled up during the race.

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