21 November 2019, DUBAI, UAE ~ Racing at Meydan on Thursday, 21 November kicked off with the first Purebred Arabian contest at the course this season, the 1400m Group 2 Bani Yas presented by Longines Hydroconquest. As it was last year, it was won in smart style by Sheikh Abdulla bin Majed Al Qassem’s Ibrahim Aseeli-trained ES Ajeeb, never headed under regular pilot Sam Hitchcott.
Well away, the pair were soon able to get across to the rail and clear at halfway never looked likely to be caught although, understandably, tiring in the final 150m. Aatebat Al Khalediah closed determinedly to come up just short, while slow-starting Mawahib, second 12 months ago by a nose in this race, ran on impressively for third. The 5-year-old homebred has now won eight of his 12 starts, seven times on dirt and became the third dual winner of the contest. His sire, Big Easy (US), also won in 2004.
“He has to be my favourite Purebred Arabian and we knew he had improved from his return at Abu Dhabi,” Hitchcott said. “His natural speed is main attribute, but as gets older and matures, we may try him over 1600m but we would probably have to ride him more patiently.”
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