Dubai International Arabian Races at Newbury Racecourse August 10 see Quality Entries
27 June 2014, UK ~ The Arabian Racing Organization (ARO) sees excellent entries for Dubai International Arabian Races at Newbury Racecourse on 10th August 2014. At the early closing stage 103 horses have been entered in the five races open to International runners.
The quantity of entries does not in any way dilute the quality with 2013 winners Burnet (NL), Al Mouhannad (FR), Shararah (QA) and Djet Taouy (FR) all bidding to retain their crowns in their respective races. Last year’s 3 year old winner Aden also holds entries in all the Group 1 contests.
ARO Racing Manager Amanda Smith commented: “I am extremely pleased with the quality of entries for Dubai International Arabian Race day. Once again, the international Arabian Horseracing community has recognised this fixture as a very important date in their calendar. I am especially pleased to see horses entered from as far afield as Morocco. We look forward to welcoming their representatives to Newbury. It is also great to see all last year’s winners entered. It would be very special to see any retain their crown. Djet Taouy seems to love this racecourse so he will be one to respect.”
“An exciting addition to the weekend this year is the Select Arabian Sale on Saturday 9th August – the evening before the race day. This will be a perfect complement to the racing action on the Sunday. “
“We are hugely grateful to the ongoing patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for this event and we are looking forward to another fantastic race day,” she continued.
Entered alongside 2013 winner Burnet in the Emirates NBD International Conditions Stakes are some exciting horses including Sheikh Hamdan’s Al Hibaab that carries a penalty for his Listed race win in the President of The UAE Cup in 2013. He was denied a second win in that race by joint top weight Lahoob running for Omani owner Sheikh Nasser Al Hashar. A horse they may all fear is Rathowan, holding an entry in the feature race. He has been incredibly unlucky to never get his head in front in a Pattern race but represents a very strong stable.
The Jebel Ali Racecourse Zaabeel International Stakes (Group 1 PA) is the premier sprint contest of the UK racing calendar. 2013 winner Al Mouhannad ran with great credit when third in the QREC Harwood International Stakes over a mile representing the Royal Cavalry of Oman, but will be more suited to a return to this shorter trip. Included in the entries to challenge him are 2 horses from the Diana Dorenburg stable, a trainer who has enjoyed success at this track and the UK when training Djet Taouy for his previous connections. She now has charge of Al Asad (IQ), owned and bred by Dr Mohamed Al Nujaifi. Manark, now trained by Gill Duffield for HH Sheikh Hamdan, recently returned from a long absence when finishing 3rd (beaten 2½ lengths) behind The Royal Cavalry of Oman’s Ornate in a mile Conditions race. He will most likely appreciate the drop back in trip. Another likely speed runner for this sprint trip is Al Anga winner of the 5f Royal Cavalry of Oman sponsored Group 3 at Bath last year. However, it won’t be easy to guess her intended target as she also holds entries in both the Group 1 10f races, including the Shadwell Arabian Stallions Hatta International won by Shararah (QA) last year.
The entries for the Hatta are the strongest of the day. Alongside Al Anga and Shararah (QA) are some of the best fillies and mares in training. Karin van den Bos won the Qatar Total Arabian Trophy des Juments at Longchamp last year with Samima (FR) and looks to have another good chance here. In addition to last year’s winner (that has since changed stables), Alban De Mieulle has two interesting juvenile entrants in 4-year- olds Al Ramtha and Raghed (QA). Both are very lightly raced so unexposed. Al Shaqab Racing is an impressive force on the world stage of horseracing with top Thoroughbred winners making headlines. They have an equally impressive record with their Arabians and their flag bearer is Farh (FR), trained by Jean Francois Bernard. Having never been out of the top three, including a recent victory in the Group 2 Prix Nefta last month, she surely will be one to watch.
The feature race of the day is the Shadwell Stud Dubai International Stakes. Won last year by Djet Taouy, he is looking to retain his crown for new owners, the Royal Cavalry of Oman. The Alban De Mieulle trained Nashmi was narrowly beaten by Djet Taouy over this course and distance in the Listed Sheikh Zayed Cup run at the end of May; he will be looking for a reversal in form. Gill Duffield trains Djakbar Des Forges for the patron of the raceday HH Sheikh Hamdan. Although 5th behind Djet Taouy and Nashmi last month, he was only beaten 3¼ lengths and finished in front of the stable first string, Tawaazun, on the day. UK trainer Mark Cooper has an entry for Pacific Athbah, owned by the “GGGB Partnership” headed by USA Arabian Jockey Club President Kathy Smoke. He made a return to the track in the Zayed Cup after a long absence and did seem to need the run. However he looked incredible in the preliminaries and could very likely be an improved horse this time around.
The final Pattern race of the day is the 7f Group 2 Emirates Equestrian Federation International Stakes, restricted to 3 year old Purebred Arabians. 2013 winner Aden holds entries in all the Group 1 contests with 2012 (possibly one of the strongest renewals in recent history) winner Manark holding an entry in the Group 1 Sprint. This year’s juveniles include four from the JF Bernard yard. Although unraced, one of the most interesting is Silex Al Maury (FR), owned by top French breeder Mlle. Renee-Laure Koch whose horses are often a force to be reckoned with. Another of Bernard’s unraced entrants is Kardoos, owned by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed whose colours were carried to victory in both the 2013 Qatar Arabian World Cup and the 2014 Dubai Kahayla Classic. One colt that looks to have a bright future is the Royal Cavalry of Oman’s Almarid, winner of his first maiden race at Huntingdon last weekend. He looked a strong powerful colt, and although it wasn’t the strongest maiden, he is sure to be progressive.
Under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Dubai International Arabian Races (DIAR) aims to help promote and develop Arabian Horse Racing globally. DIARS supports races in countries where Arabian Racing is established (e.g. Great Britain and France) and helps develop opportunities in countries where the sport is in its formative stages. The support for the racing comes from Shadwell Stud and Shadwell Arabian Stallions as well as partners, Dubai based companies, who share a passion for supporting and promoting horse racing, especially Arabian racing around the world.
Supplementary entries will be accepted until Tuesday 29th July at 12 noon. The full list of entries can be found on the ARO website at http://www.aroracing.co.uk/racing-data/entries-decs-results/
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