Ed Marnane
UAE bred Arabians take centre stage at Abu Dhabi on Thursday, with the running of the valuable Abu Dhabi Fillies and Colts Classics, restricted to local-bred four-year-olds over 1400m and each race worth AED 100,000 (R518,000).
A full field of 16 go to post for the Colts Classics and last year’s winning trainer Ahmed Al Mehairbi saddles AH Haizum, one of three unbeaten Arabians in the line-up. He earned a rating of 79 for winning a 15-runner maiden on dirt at Al Ain, finding plenty for pressure to score under Oscar Chavez.
He’s open to plenty of improvement and the switch to turf isn’t a concern. AH Haizum hails from a yard going well, Al Mehairbi has sent out three winners from 12 runners this month.
Richard Mullen has been booked to ride the unbeaten Mubeed, representing trainer Jaber Bittar and the highest ranked runner in the field with a mark of 87. He made a winning debut at Sharjah last month, going clear in the closing stages to score by a comfortable eight and three-quarter lengths. If he can translate that form to turf, he looks the one to beat.
Tahhan Al Wathba, trained by Eric Lemartinel created a good impression on his first start in public, winning a 1700m maiden at Sharjah. He didn’t enjoy the smoothest of passages in the race but readily quickened clear before running out a comfortable six length winner. He would be a welcome big race winner for his trainer, the French native has had a quiet season having sent out just two winners and is operating at a poor strike-rate.
It’s hard to oppose Hathlla in the Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic, the only unbeaten Arabian in the 16 runner event. Trained by Ibrahim Al Hadhrami, she comfortably won a maiden at Al Ain and left the impression she was a filly with a bright future. She has the services of Connor Beasley and should be too strong for her 15 rivals.
HA Sahaba, a winner at Sharjah on her racecourse debut, had her limitations exposed behind HM Alchahine and will need to raise her game to upset the selection.
Racing gets underway with 1200m handicap and South Africa’s Ernest Oertel’s AF Marmuq, the mount of Tadhg O’Shea, lines up in the race, seven days after winning a mile handicap (made all) over the course.
He’s very unexposed on turf and is fancied to go close, despite stepping down in distance. He’s not ideally drawn out wide but possesses plenty of early speed and should be able to dominate from the front.
Oertel has booked Connor Beasley, the season’s leading rider, to ride AF Afham, winner of a 1600m maiden at Abu Dhabi 11 months ago. He’s a threat after a solid third at this track in a 14-runner handicap seven days ago.
A maximum field of 16 faces the starter for the 1400m handicap, Race 2. In a competitive event, Winds Of Fortune can win on his debut for new trainer Doug Watson under Pat Dobbs. Formerly trained by Ernest Oertel, he made an encouraging comeback when third in a mile handicap at Abu Dhabi in early December on the back of a nine-month break.
A lightly raced six-year-old, he has more to offer and joins a yard enjoying a resurgent in form having made a quiet start in opening weeks of the season.
Dennis O’Brien, a new name in the UAE’s trainer’s ranks this season, has enjoyed a productive campaign, saddling seven winners and operating at a 12.1% strike-rate. He holds sound claims of winning the 2200m handicap, race 5. He runs RB Yas Sir and Mujazif, the mount of Richard Mullen.
Sam Hitchcott continues his partnership with RB Yas Sir, a winner over the course and distance last month. On that occasion, he improved for the step up in distance and is fancied to shrug off a minor rise in the ratings.
Lightly raced AF Yatwy, winner of three of his six races, is proven here and heads the list of dangers, along with
Itchy De Nacre from a yard that landed the Abu Dhabi Championship with the smart HM Alchahine two weeks ago.
Racing rounds off with a 2400m handicap, the only thoroughbred race on the card. It’s a tricky event and most of the runners are struggling for form. In-form Musabbeh Al Mheiri is responsible for three of the 15 runners, with preference for Branwell, the mount of Richard Mullen.
He posted a solid effort at Meydan last month, stepping up on a poor run behind Watch My Six when third behind the progressive Nevershow Weakness. In a weaker race, he makes plenty of appeal and is very unexposed on turf. He produced one of his best runs of his career on grass when third behind Exciting Days at Meydan 12 months ago.
SELECTIONS
Race 1
4 AF MARMUQ 8 AF AFHAM 6 AF MUSANNEF 12 SADIQ AL WATHBA
Race 2
16 WINDS OF FORTUNE 6 HAROOT 11 MEEQAT 13 AF FERSTUQ
Race 3
10 HATHLLA 3 ALAQ 9 HA SAHABA 12 JAP RANIA 1 AF DALALAT
Race 4
13 MUBEED 3 HAIZUM 16 TAHHAN AL WATHBA 11 LA BIBI
Race 5
2 RB YAS SIR 13 ITCHY DE NACRE 3 MUJAZIF 9 AF YATWY
Race 6
2 BRANWELL 4 ACT OF WISDOM 7 GREEN JACKET 9 ALDHAJA
Best Bet: 2 Branwell [Race 6]
Best Value: Winds Of Fortune [Race 2]
Best Swinger: 2 Branwell and 4 Act Of Wisdom [Race 6]
JACKPOT
[Races 3-6]
R24
Leg 1: 10
Leg 2: 3, 11, 16
Leg 3: 2, 3, 9, 13
Leg 4: 2, 4