Watson for Abu Dhabi success

Ed Marnane

The HH President’s Cup, for Arabians, headlines a star-studded seven-race card on Abu Dhabi’s biggest day of their season on Saturday. The Group 1 event, worth AED 4.5m (R23m), over 2200m has attracted a maximum field of 14 and looks open.

First Classs, trained by Doug Watson, bids to give Red Stables another major prize, seven days after Colour Up won the Jebel Ali Sprint. The US-bred gelding is a proven Group 1 performer, enjoying success at the highest level in Qatar and the UAE. He joined Watson at the start of the season and made a solid comeback when fifth behind the Qatar trained Abbes in the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Triple Crown at Abu Dhabi. Switched to dirt at Meydan, First Class was fourth in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round II, staying on one-paced in the closing stages. First Classs returns to a track he has enjoyed Group 1 success and should be in the mix in the hands of Pat Dobbs.

Lightly raced Al Riffaa, representing France and the sole European challenger, is a useful Arabian and ran well in defeat in the Qatar Arabian Derby in December, his first start in the Middle East. Rated 113, he doesn’t need to find much on the ratings on his UAE debut and has the services of Andre de Vries, an eye-catching booking by Francois Rohaut.

A solid case can be made for the highly progressive Alarqam, who is having his first start on grass and trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri. Winner of two his three races, he is ideally berthed next to the rails and was only denied by Barakka, beaten a length and half, in the aforementioned Al Maktoum Challenge Round II last month.

Alfareeq, two-time winner of the Group 1 Jebel Hatta, is the class act of the Listed HH President’s Cup, the only thoroughbred race on the card, Race 6. Trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, he comes here in good order having run well in defeat in the Al Rashidiya, Group 2, on his seasonal reappearance. Always handy, he kept on to finish six lengths behind Measured Time, who was getting 3kgs and is a favourite for the 1351 Turf Sprint, on the Saudi Cup undercard, next week.

Alfareeq, owned and bred by Shadwell, can boast winning form at Abu Dhabi and ran second in the National Day Cup (Listed) last season. He looks the one to beat under Pat Cosgrave.

His chief rival is Yonafis, trained by Michael Costa. He returns to Abu Dhabi, 12 months after narrowly denied by Al Salt in last season’s renewal. The Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum-owned gelding has run well in defeat since returning from his summer break, the most recent when a good second to Mischief Magic in the Dubai Sprint (Listed). He’s lightly raced and looks sure to be involved, particularly stepping up in distance.

Of the others, Nibras Passion is one to consider at decent odds for trainer Ismail Mohammed, who has booked Pat Dobbs to ride the gelding. He has progressed with racing this season and was a respectable second to Godolphin’s unexposed Mysterious Night in a 1400m handicap at Meydan, his most recent start. The winner gave the form a major boost when winning the Al Fahidi Fort on his Group 2 debut next time. Nibras Passion, a two time winner at Abu Dhabi, is nicely drawn in stall six and has each-way claims in a race that plenty can be ruled out.

Elsewhere on the card, the exciting HM Alchahine is hard to oppose in the Arabian Triple Crown (R1), over a mile for four-year-olds, Race 3. He has created a big impression on his racecourse debut at Abu Dhabi in November, slamming his 15 rivals in a maiden. He confirmed that promise, winning a minor event here before running out a comfortable winner of the Listed Abu Dhabi Championship. He’s an exciting prospect and this looks a golden opportunity to take his tally to four.

Ben Coen has been booked to ride the unbeaten Alwarry, who is making his Abu Dhabi debut. He has caught the eye in his two victories at Meydan and Al Ain, looking a smart Arabian with a bright future. Switching to turf is a question mark and on the official ratings, he needs to find plenty of improvement to trouble HM Alchahine.

Racing opens with a 1600m maiden for Arabians and Singasong Al Maury can defy a tricky draw and give Connor Beasley, the season’s leading rider, a winner. Trained by Ibrahim Al Hadhrami, Singasong Al Maury went into many notebooks when chasing home Al Dinari on his racecourse debut here last month. He’s entitled to improve for the experience and is likely to mount a bold show in a race many of his rivals are unraced or have shown little.

SELECTIONS

Race 1

10 SINGASONG AL MAURY 11 WAAJIB 7 HM JAZI 14 MAANAR

Race 2

2 AL BARQ 1 AF ALHAZEM 12 AF ALAREEQ 10 AF SOQRAT

Race 3

1 HM ALCHAHINE 11 RB YAS MAN 3 ALWARRY 6 KANAILLE DE FASUT

Race 4

9 WINDS OF FORTUNE 1 AF ALMOHEEB 6 MANAR 12 KING DE FLAUZINS

Race 5

8 HEROS DE LAGARDE 6 EKLEEL ATHBAH 2 AF ALWAJEL 13 RB STRYNGS ATTACHED

Race 6

1 ALFAREEQ 16 YONAFIS 11 NIBRAS PASSION 3 LANEQASH

Race 7

5 FIRST CLASSS 3 ALARQAM 2 AL RIFFAA 12 RB KINGMAKER

Best Bet: 10 Singasong Al Maury [Race 1]

Best Value: 11 Nibras Passion [Race 6]

Best Swinger: 1 Alfareeq and 11 Nibras Passion [Race 6]

JACKPOT

[Races 4-7]

R81

Leg 1: 1, 6, 9

Leg 2: 2, 6, 8

Leg 3: 1, 11, 16

Leg 4: 2, 3, 5