Royal Cavalry of Oman Stakes 18 August 2018

17 August 2018, Newbury Racecourse ~ The Royal Cavalry of Oman return to Newbury on Saturday following their celebrated success with three Group wins at the Dubai International Arabian Races in July. This time they leave the door wide open for UK trainers to pick up this prestigious Group 3 PA as they return as generous sponsors.

The Royal Cavalry of Oman Clarendon Stakes (Group 3 PA) is run over 5f at Newbury Racecourse and is the shortest race in the UK Arabian racing Calendar with a prize fund of £15,000. Horses are set for the stalls at 1.20pm, the race on the card of the Newbury Ladies Day fixture; a day that attracts a fantastic crowd.

Last year it was Sweden who took the spoils with a victory for Macallan, ridden by Swedish professional jockey Anna Pilroth and trained by her mother Bodil Blomqvist. Second place went to the Phillip Collington trained Shomoos Athbah and third to Storm Troupour for Beverley Deutrom. The 2018 renewal will see both second and third placed horses back to improve on their places last year as part of the 9 runner field.

The ground looks like it could play its part with forecast rain arriving at the declaration stage, several of the runners may find the going something of a challenge, Delishess for James Owen will certainly be hoping things dry up quickly. Owen also runs Alazeez and Naishann who will run in the colours of owner HH Sheikh Hamdan.

Another hoping for Group success will be the Peter Hammersley-trained Zayin Angkor Centurion who finished an excellent 2nd in the first Group race of the UK season at Royal Windsor Racecourse, also sponsored by the Royal Cavalry of Oman. Hammersley is doubled represented with the Forta Stud owned Shammat al Hosn hoping to make up for her late withdrawal on DIAR day.

As well as last year’s third, Beverley Deutrom runs 2016 winner Kao Kat MHF. A proven over course and distance, he missed 2017 and hasn’t hit form since returning.

The seasons leading trainer Phil Collington also runs two, previously mentioned Shomoos Athbah and Group 1PA winner Mith’haf Athbah, the latter making a belated seasonal return over 6 furlongs at DIAR in the Jebel Ali Racecourse Za’abeel Group 1PA and finishing a creditable 4th just half a length behind Storm Troupour on rain softened ground. Sure to have improved for his seasonal debut and the prospect of better ground plus the added bonus of current reigning champion jockey Silvestre De Sousa booked he looks to have an outstanding chance.

Declarations

[pdf-embedder url=”https://horsereporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Newbury.pdf”]

The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) Willie McFarland said: “We must thank the Royal Cavalry for their continued sponsorship of this race and we look forward to welcoming their team here on Saturday, they have had a fantastic UK season and we are incredibly grateful for all their support – they are such a great team to have here participating and their 2018 success is just reward for all that they do to support UK Arabian racing.”