Ed Marnane
The AED 5m (R25.5m) Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown, the world’s richest race for Arabians, headlines the biggest day of the season at Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
A top-class international field has assembled for the Group 1 event and last year’s winner First Classs, now under the care of Doug Watson, returns to defend his crown in the hands of Pat Dobbs.
First Classs, winner of half of his eight races, has been off the track since trailing in a disappointing last of 10 behind the mighty Al Ghadeer in Qatar Arabian World Cup on Arc day two months ago. He’s fancied to bounce back from a good draw on his favoured quick ground for his new yard.
Barakka, Ahmad bin Harmash’s top Arabian, comes to the course in top form, impressing when winning the trial last month. Always in touch, he quickened readily to lead inside the final 100m and advertise his claims for Sunday’s showpiece. Versatile Barakka, who was narrowly denied in the Dubai Kahayla Classic in March, is very unexposed on turf and is open to plenty of improvement.
Top French rider Mickael Barzalona makes a rare trip to Abu Dhabi to ride Qatar raider Abbes, sporting the silks of Wathnan Racing, an emerging force in racing.
Rated 122, he boasts a top-class CV and is multiple Group 1 winner, both in the Middle East and Europe. He is nicely drawn in stall No 1 and should enjoy a ground-saving trip.
Top French-bred Arabian Ch’ezza, winner of four of his seven races, can boast a Group 1 victory in his native land and ran well behind Al Ghadeer at ParisLongchamp in October and is one to consider in a cracking renewal.
Jim Crowley, who has enjoyed plenty of big-race success this year, is a noteworthy booking for the Athbah Racing-owned Thakeera Al Shahania for Philip Collington, the three-time British champion trainer.
Collington and Athbah Racing will be hoping to repeat their success of 2019 when they won the Abu Dhabi showpiece contest with Mashhur Al Khalediah. Thakeera Al Shahania, rated 114, will need to take a step forward on her UAE debut in this illustrious company.
Athbah Racing is represented by the progressive Western Writer, the most expensive horse sold in the history of the Racing In Dubai Sale, in the Listed National Day Cup, the highlight of the undercard.
Trained by Bhupat Seemar, he enjoyed a terrific campaign last season, winning a couple of competitive handicaps at Abu Dhabi before rounding off the season when a creditable sixth in the Ras Al Khor.
Western Writer, the mount of Tadhg O’Shea, has a plum draw in stall No1 and has major claims of giving his trainer another big prize. Eight days ago, Seemar and O’Shea, the top rider at Abu Dhabi, combined to win the Dubai Creek Mile with Al Nefud.
San Donato’s hopes of back-to-back wins in the mile event took a blow having been drawn out wide in stall No 15, not ideal with a full field of 16 declared. Owned by Sheikh Obaid Al Maktoum, who won last month’s Melbourne Cup with Without A Fight, San Donato impressed winning 12 months ago and is taking a big step down in grade, having finished less than four lengths behind the shock winner Danyah in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night.
In a competitive renewal, Erzindjan holds each-way claims for his in-form trainer, Ahmad bin Harmash. The son of Lope de Vega raced in top company last year, albeit failed to win in five starts, but ran well when a close fourth in the Jebel Hatta, Group 1. He has an awkward draw to overcome on his first start since March.
Shadwell’s last victory in the National Day Cup was with Moqtarreb, ridden by Jim Crowley, two years ago. In this year’s renewal, Shadwell is six-handed and Crowley rides Laneqash for Bhupat Seemar. He was soundly beaten on his only start for Seemar last season and will need to raise his game without a recent run.
Al Salt, rated 96, makes most appeal of the Shadwell runners, despite having plenty to find on the official ratings. Trained by Ali Al Badwawi, he has the benefit of a recent run when finishing a creditable third behind Count Rostov, over the course and distance, early in November. He shaped with plenty of promise and is entitled to come forward for the run.
BEST BET
Race 6 No 12 Rebal Athbah
BEST VALUE
Race 5 No 3 Barakka
BEST SWINGER
Race 7: 3-Western Writer and 2-San Donato
JACKPOT
(Races 4 to 7)
R36
Leg 1: 2, 3
Leg 2: 1, 3, 6
Leg 3: 4, 12, 14
Leg 4: 2, 3