Ahead of the $1 Million Kahayla Classic on 26 March
For 23 March 2022, Dubai, UAE ~ Notes from trainers on the track early today.
Photos – Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia //Mathea Kelley
The 16 runners in the $1 Million Gr 1 Dubai Kahayla Classic will be set for the 2000M first race on Saturday, 26 March 2022, at the Dubai Meydan race course.
Deryan (Mahabb x Haboob by Akbar), owned by Yas Horse Racing Management is rated at 122. The seven-year-old will be backed by Ioritz Mendizabal, the jockey that rode him to victory in this race in 2021.
Trainer Didier Guillemin said of him. (Deryan) “He is very happy on this track. The surface was a bit deep for him last time in Riyadh but he still ran well to be fourth. He won this race last year and I feel he is in the same form again. He has drawn wide in 16, that is the only negative, so he will be ridden with patience.”
Stiff competition will come from February’s $2 Million winner of the Saudi Obaiya Cup, Hadi De Carrere (Nieshan x Viki De Carrere by Dormane) under seasoned jockey Olivier Peslier. The five-year-old, owned by Khalifa bin Sheail Al Kuwari, is highest rated at 126.
Thomas Fourcy, trainer of Hadi De Carrere, said: “All going well with him. He has come from his win in Saudi well. Good gate in two also. We are content.”
Also a formidable challenge will be from multiple Grade winner, six-year-old, RB Rich Lyke Me (Majd Al Arab x Rich Frynd (US) by TH Richie) rated at 123. Trained by the team of F Nass and ridden by Adrie de Vries, he has only four races on GCC soil.
The five-year-old First Class (Dahess x Topoftheclass by Genuine Monarch), rated 121, is fresh off his February win of the Saudi Listed $1 Million Al Mneefah Cup and doing well under veteran trainer Alban De Mieulle. He seems to like the distance and Ronan Thomas will again be at the helm starting out of gate 3.
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