Diyaah in search of Triple Crown R2 win

Ed Marnane

The absence of Hm Alchahine is a blow for the Arabian Triple Crown R2, the Group 3 highlight of Thursday’s card at Abu Dhabi. Helal Alalawi’s stable star, rated 116 and undefeated in three starts, wasn’t declared for 2200m event, for four-year-olds, having been among the 12 Arabians entered on Monday.

Diyaah, shock winner of Listed Arabian Triple Crown R1 last month, giving her trainer Mohamed Daggash his first win of the season, looks the one to beat now in the 10-runner event. Ridden by Sandro Paiva, she was delivered fast and late to deny Caram’bar and 11 others in an exciting finish. The victory earned the daughter of Al Mourtajez a hefty rise in the ratings, soaring from 75 to 97.

The step up to 2200m on Thursday is a query but I don’t expect it will hinder her chance, as she’s strong travelling filly and hit the line strongly when winning here at the track last month.

Caram’bar, who was prominently ridden, hung left off the hometurn and as result conceded many lengths to Diyaan. It looks significant the experienced and talented Dutch rider Adrie de Vries, who enjoyed big race success aboard the French raider Fort Payne in Saturday’s Ras Al Khor at Meydan, has been booked to ride the colt, replacing Alexis Moreno. If Caram’bar can avoid hanging, he should be in the mix and holds sound claims of reversing form with Diyaah. He could improve for the stiffer test of stamina, being out of a mare that can boost Group form over middle distances in France.

On the official figures, the 97-rated Rb Yas Man has to enter calculations, despite having nearly five lengths to find with Diyaan when they clashed here last month. Trained by Ahmed Al Balushi, he began his career in Oman, winning two of his seven races, both over 2000m on dirt. He made his UAE debut two months ago, finishing a creditable second to Hm Alchahine in the Abu Dhabi Championship, his first start on turf. He’s likely to appreciate the step up in trip.

Race 6, the 2200m handicap for thoroughbreds, has attracted a full field of 14 and the consistent and reliable Keffaaf looks the answer. Trained by Michael Costa, he has been knocking on the door in competitive handicaps at the Dubai Carnival at Meydan, the latest when a close third behind Intricacy. He will relish going up to 2200m and has the assistance of the in-form Ben Coen, who rode a treble at Jebel Ali on Friday.

Horses trained by Simon & Ed Crisford always warrant respect in the UAE, the father and son training partnership have sent out six winner from 27 runners this season. They saddle Stormy Ocean and Pat Dobbs is an eye-catching booking for the Frankel gelding, the top-weight who must concede weight to his 13 rivals. He was less than a length and half behind Keffaaf last month and is weighted to reverse the form. He is very unexposed on turf and is a player in a competitive race.

Despite a wide draw, Ahesta Beo is one to consider back at the scene of his narrow defeat behind Webinar in last year’s renewal. Since returning from his summer break, he has run well in defeat in big fields at Meydan, both on turf and dirt. The slight concern is he has risen in the weights and the eight-year-old is winless since landing a minor event at Compiegne, in France, in September 2019.

It’s hard to ignore the claims of Lost Gold and Desert Snake, second and third behind surprise winner Aldhaja over the same course and distance last month. Of the others, Al Maysan, the choice of Connor Beasley of the Ahmad bin Harmash runners, merits consideration. He ran well at Jebel Ali on Friday and is equally effective on turf.

Racing opens with an Arabian maiden, over 1400m and the US-bred Al Mushahar brings the best form, having finished a close third at Al Ain on just his second start in public three months ago. He showed signs of greenness but kept on well in the closing stages, shaping as he’d improve for the experience and step up in trip.

Champion jockey Tadhg O’Shea is an interesting booking for the unraced Mubariz Al Reef, trainer by Jabir Bittar. He’s nicely drawn and hails from a yard that recently won the Al Ain Derby.

Abu Dhabi-based trainer Dennis O’Brien is enjoying a terrific season and lightly raced Mizna is the leading hope of his three-strong team in the 2200m handicap, Race 5.

A winner over a mile at the track on his debut, in December 2022, he was entitled to need his comeback at Sharjah two months ago and will appreciate switching back to turf. He’s very unexposed and should go well under Richard Mullen, who has a good record for the stable.

Tadhg O’Shea teams up with the Ernst Oertel-trained Af Alzahi, a winner over the course and distance off a rating of 65 12 months ago. He has yet to recapture that form in two runs this season but has slipped in the weights and if back to his best, he holds obvious claims.

Half an hour earlier, Af Soqrat stands out in the 1600m handicap, Race 4. Trained by Ernst Oertel, he made an encouraging comeback following a 13-month break when third behind Meeqat and Rb Bestevah at the track. He will strip fitter for the race and this is a good opportunity to take his career tally to four in the colours of his breeder, Khalid Khalifia al Nabooda.

SELECTIONS

Race 1

1 AL MUSHAHAR 12 MUBARIZ AL REEF 7 HM JAZI 3 MERIDIAN

Race 2

15 AF ALHASID 5 AZZIZA 4 ATRASH 3 AF YUGHADER

Race 3

3 AF YATWY 7 ANAFAH 8 FARAAH 10 KOSMOS DE FAUST

Race 4

8 AF SOQRAT 1 HAZEEM AL WATHBA 7 PHARITZ AL DENARI 11 ES MIDWAKH

Race 5

2 MIZNA 7 AF ALZAHI 14 RB KINGS RANSOM 11 UDAY

Race 6

2 KEFFAAF 12 LOST GOLD 1 STORMY OCEAN 6 DESERT SNAKE

Race 7

8 DIYAAH 1 CARAM’BAR 10 SAND STORM 5 RB YAS MAN

Best Bet: 2 Keffaaf [Race 6]

Best Value: 2 Mizna [Race 5]

Best Swinger: 8 Diyaah and 1 Caram’bar [Race 7]

Jackpot [Races 4-7]

R54

Leg 1: 1, 7, 8

Leg 2: 2, 7, 14

Leg 3: 2, 12

Leg 4: 1, 8, 10