Bshara for Abu Dhabi G3 success

Ed Marnane

The Al Ruwais, a Group 3 sprint for Arabians, headlines a decent six-card at Abu Dhabi today and this year’s renewal looks competitive, despite the small field.

On official ratings, Namrood, rated 102, sets the standard but he needs to bounce back after disappointing on dirt at Meydan last month. Sent off the short price favourite, he failed to land telling blow behind the enterprisingly ridden winner Lena and eventually came home poor fourth in the Big Easy Arabian Sprint Championship.

South African trainer Ernest Oertel, the top trainer at Abu Dhabi with 10 winners this season, runs course specialist AF Majalis and has the services of Tadhg O’Shea, the UAE’s leading rider this winter.

The French-bred seven-year-old comes on the back of a victory over the course and distance, getting the better of Gold Silver and Bshara in a three-way photo-finish off a mark of 87. Now rated 90, he will need to take a step forward campaigning at Group 3 level to take his UAE tally to seven.

Former champion jockey Richard Mullen continues his successful association with the consistent and reliable Bshara, representing leading local owners Al Asayl. The five-year-old mare, winner of two of her six races, has been knocking on the door this winter, finishing in the frame in all three starts.

The most recent of those was when beaten a head, in third, behind AF Majalis and Gold Silver in the aforementioned handicap three weeks ago.

Ashton Tourettes, owned by Ziad Galadari, won last year’s Al Ruwais for trainer Ibrahim Aseel and the pair are represented by Gold Silver. The seven-year-old, twice a winner at Abu Dhabi, is weighted to reverse form with AF Majalis when they clashed here three weeks ago. He merits respect and has leading claims of giving Galadari and Aseel back-to-back wins in AED 300,000 (R1.4m) event.

Maahir, the only four-year-old in the field, is very unexposed and is only having his second run on turf and just fourth career start. Getting weight from his seven rivals, he has the assistance of the in-form Bernardo Pinheiro for Majed Al Jahoori, a trainer enjoying a fine season and operating at strike-rate of 15%. He ran well behind AF Majalis, Gold Silver and Bshara here and a performance that can be upgraded, having been tardy at the gates and enduring a troubled passage.

The pick of the rest of the card is Round I of the Arabian Triple Crown, a Listed race for four-year-olds over 1600m that has attracted a field of seven. Nadia du Loup, trained by Sulaiman Al Ghunaimi, looks the one to beat.

The French-bred filly, a half-sister to the Group 1 winner Faucon du Loup, created a big impression on her UAE debut, bolting up in a minor event over this course and distance two months ago. Jumping smartly, she was soon in front and travelling powerfully, before readily quickening clear off the bend to win by 11 lengths. Rated 107, she’s an exciting prospect and will take plenty of stopping.

Top-weight Unleashed, penalised 2kg for winning the Listed Abu Dhabi Championship, comes on the back of a career-high performance and has the services of Pat Dobbs, a rider who has found Abu Dhabi a happy hunting ground this season.

Unleashed, trained by Jaber Bitter for Al Reef Stables, showed a good attitude to prevail in a close finish with Alghabraa, the pair pulling clear of the remainder. Unleashed looks vulnerable under his penalty and is well held by Nadia du Loup on their form here in early December.

O’Shea, who rode Unleashed in the Abu Dhabi Championship, is booked to ride Alghabraa, Nadia du Loup’s stable companion. She caught the eye in the Listed race when staying on strongly in the closing stages having been slowly away on her first start in the UAE. This well-bred daughter of Dahess, from the family of Group 1 winners Al Mourtajez and Al Moutawakila, is open to improvement and can chase home Nadi du Loup.  

Bassam Al Wathba, wide-margin winner of a maiden on his racecourse debut here, is an interesting runner stepping up in class. Trained by Majed al Jahoori, he looked an above-average Arabian when defeating RB Stryngs Attached and 12 others. Given an opening mark of 88, he will need to take a big step forward to take the prize.

The well-related RB Stryngs Attached, a brother to top Arabian and Group 1 winner RB Rich Lyke Me, holds sound claims in the 1600m maiden, Race 2. Trained by Fawzi Nass, he made a pleasing debut at Abu Dhabi last month, staying on nicely in the closing stages to take second behind Bassam Al Wathba, despite having been slowly away and showing signs of greenness. He’s entitled to be sharper for the race and from a favourable draw looks the one to beat, as stepping up in distance looks a plus.  

Once-raced Al Barq, Al Fallak and Alwazeer have shown promise, all at Abu Dhabi. The trio, who are drawn nicely, are open to plenty of improvement and look obvious threats to RB Stryngs Attached.

Racing rounds off with a 1400m maiden for thoroughbreds, and the withdrawal of favourite Kal Barq makes it a weaker contest that won’t take much winning. In a race that has attracted plenty of horses, who are either bang out of form or moderate, Green Team Station holds leading claims to make the breakthrough on his ninth attempt.

Trained by Ahmed Al Shemaili, he has run well at Abu Dhabi, the most recent when a good third behind Fawaareq in a 14-runner handicap. Dropping in grade after failing to make an impression behind Celtic Voyage in a competitive handicap at Meydan 11 days, he can easily bounce back in this company.

State Event, who hadn’t shown much in two starts earlier in the campaign on dirt, took a big forward when a creditable fourth behind Sari Dubai at Meydan, enjoying the switch to turf. The son of Shamardal out of 1000 Guineas/Irish Oaks winner, a AED 160,000 (R755,000) purchase at the Racing in Dubai Sale in September, has the services of the in-form Ray Dawson, replacing Saif Al Balushi.

State Event, trained by Ahmad bin Harmash, holds solid claims and is biggest danger to Green Team Station on just his seventh lifetime start.

BEST BET

Race 2 No 13 RB Stryngs Attached'

VALUE BET

Race 3 No 6 Jawal Al Reef

BEST SWINGER

Race 5 6-Bshara and 4-Gold Silver

JACKPOT

(Races 3 to 6)

R24

Leg 1: 2, 4, 6, 7

Leg 2: 4

Leg 3: 2, 4, 6

Leg 4: 4, 9