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PAUL SIMMONS OFFICIAL RACE REPORTER


Arabian Racing Review
Dubai Day Newbury 2009
by Paul Simmons


The Emirates Airline Premier Handicap Stakes 0-75 over 7 Furlongs (1400 m):
A massive field of 23 went to post for this arguably the most competitive handicap in the UK. They broke quickly form the stalls with Sakeena Sky Zayin and Sabden at the head of affairs helping force a decent gallop. As they the two furlong marker it was Whisper who swept into the lead with Mr Ben travelling well in behind. As they hit the final furlong it was Mr Ben under a well timed ride from Daragh O’Donohoe who went to the front with Sabden, Miswadah, Lamy and Al Mamoon all chasing in behind and Balladore who was being stoked along down the centre of the track by a determined Dennis Batteate. As they came inside the final half furlong Batteate set sail for home under Balladore but Mr Ben fought back and they were head to head all the way to the line with 25/1 chance Balladore under a superb ride from Batteate just getting up to score by neck from Mr Ben and a very brave Miswadah a head back in third. The winner Balladore (Dormane x Ballade Folle) showed a useful turn of foot and should build on this effort for owner and breeder James Kippen. Winning trainer and jockey Dennis Batteate (a former UAE Champion jockey back in 1992) said afterwards “She’s genuine and well bred….and I wasn’t surprised that she won” . Mr Ben (Bengali D’Albret x Widget (Galeon)) was very unlucky and came with a powerful challenge in the closing stages but couldn’t quite hold on to victory for owner and trainer Beverley Paterson, whilst stable mate Miswadah (Makzan x Shunah (Shomran)) looked out paced early on but came with an impressive strong late flurry in the final furlong and was finishing best of all at the end. Lamy (for owner breeder Dr M A Al Nujaifi) ran an eye catching race back in fourth and was staying on at the end and battled home to take fourth from stable mate Sabden.

The Al Hai Group Zaabeel International Stakes Group 1 over 6 Furlongs (1200m):
It was the Swedish raider Al Raai who set s scorching pace from the start with Qatar based Zaeem Al Shajaa and the Iraqi bred Al Harith all chasing in his slip stream. Dariya was held up with a run at the back of the field but made smooth headway to lead inside the final two furlongs with Al Raai and the rest of the field hard ridden in behind. As Dariya (Dormane x CR Samborsta) hit the final furlong Phillipe Sogrob kicked clear and pulled away by two lengths at the line for a confident victory for French trainer Robert Litt and owner and breeder HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Al Raai (Riyal x Penelope) ran an outstanding race back in second, making all the running he ran on strongly in the closing stages to take a clear second on the line. Whilst Al Harith and Ircalan DA had a mighty battle inside the final half furlong for third with Steve Drowne riding a fantastic finish on the Adam Newey trained Al Harith (Asad Saif x Wadha Al Thania) – owned and bred by Dr M A Al Nujaifi – just getting up on the line for to secure the placing. Ircalan DA ran a very brave race back in fourth for his Belgium Owner and trainer.

The Emirates NBD Hatta (Mares) International Stakes Group 1 over 1 Mile 2 Furlongs (2000 m):
Acca DA the Belgium runner set the pace from the start but the pace was rather pedestrian in the good to soft ground, Estival went second and the rest of the field settled in behind. As they rounded the home bend it was Mi Temps De Piboul who went to the head of the field with Nokomys, Quesche Du Paon and Tameemah all travelling ominiously well in behind. From the two furlong marker Simon Walker made a bold bid for victory on the classy Nokomys, but Gerald Avranche didn’t look concerned on Quesche Du Paon and sent her to the front inside the final furlong and was all out the winner, but Nokomys fought back bravely inside the final half furlong and chased the idling winner all the way to the line going down bravely by a neck, with Tameemah slightly one paced back in third. Quesche du Paon (Akbar x Bint El Bedia) is a progressive mare and relished the soft ground to out battle this classy field of mares for trainer Jean-Francois Bernard and owner Prince Khaled Bin Sultan Al Saud and this race puts her right back in contention for the mares Breeders Cup which she won last year. Nokomys (Amer x KTP Mystic Flight (Wiking)) was so brave and deserved to win for owner and breeder Jane Haddock, she fought her heart out to the line and lost nothing in defeat after landing the bridesmaid role for the second year in a row. Tameemah (Amer x Sarahmina) looked uncomfortable on the soft going, but to her credit she ran on well in the final furlong to hold onto third ahead of Mi Temps De Piboul and Estival.

The Shadwell Dubai International Stakes Group 1 over 1 Mile 2 Furlongs (2000m):
An outstanding renewal of this the most valuable and prestigious race Group Arab race in the UK and it didn’t disappoint with 13 top class performers going to post. The brave Hespeshal set off out in front with Shibl, Magic Du Loup, Asraa Min Albarq and RM El Nino all chasing in behind, with market leaders and world class performers Al Dahma, Fryvolous, No Risk Al Maury and Nashwan Al Khalidiah all content to be held up in the field. Shibl took the lead inside the final four furlongs upping the tempo, with stablemate No Risk Al Maury – bidding for an historic third victory – forging his way to the head of the pack to lead inside the final furlong under a determined Richard Hills, but Al Dahma was tracking menacingly in behind. As they galloped into the final furlong the world class mare Al Dahma quickened clear under a powerful ride from David Bouland and set sail for home, but to his credit No Risk Al Maury was stride to stride with her all the way to the line with Fryvolous and Al Fatih blazing a trail down the centre of the track and all four were virtually head to head as they came inside the shadow of the post. Al Dahma was all out under David Bouland and held on by a neck for victory from No Risk Al Maury, whilst Fryvolous and Al Fatih dead heated for third. Al Dahma (Amer x Al Hanoof (Manganate) stamped her class on this race and the handy 5 lb mares allowance seemed to clinch this victory for this incredible mare who is credit to trainer Alban De Mieulle and owner and breeder HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani (Umm Qarn Farms) who last took this race back in 2006 with Majd Al Arab. No Risk Al Maury lost his unbeaten record at this track but categorically proved his world class credentials as a race horse by running Al Dahma to neck and beating the mighty Fryvolous and last years Derby winner Nashwan Al Khalidiah, and to have landed this race twice is impressive and coming second to Al Dahma is no disgrace. Fryvolous and Al Fatih finished like bullets and in a few more strides mayb have dead heated for victory, Fryvolous (Dormane x Fryga) didn’t have a clear run and seemed uncomfortable on the ground but to his credit he ran on strongly in the closing stages and finished fast and furious in the closing stages to dead heat with an impressive Al Fatih (Amer x Noorah).

The Emirates Equestrian Federation International Stakes (3 yrs old) Group 2 over 7 Furlongs (1400m):
This juvenile event turned into a procession as Bill Smith unleashed a potential superstar for the Athbah Stud when Altobello (Kerbella x Altamar Nedji) bolted to victory here in a style to suggest he will be a leading player in the Derby next year. The field started at a moderate pace with Altobello and Katwalk out in front and the others held up behind. However, the writing was on the wall a long from home Altobello superbly ridden by Simon Walker stretched clear of the field two furlongs from home with the only runner posing a moderate threat being Jaady. As these two went clear inside the final furlong Altobello was a good six lengths clear and won as he liked on the line by four lengths making the rest of the field look very ordinary. Jaady (Prince D’Orient x Alharir) ran an eye catching race on his debut in second for HH Sheikh Hamdan and Gill Duffield, he rallied hard in the closing stages and whilst he had no chance with the winner he was well clear of the field. Saladin DA (Altis Del Sol x Nahora DA) from Belgium was always handy and came with a good run inside the final furlong to hold onto third ahead of a tiring Sestamina.

The Jebel Ali Racecourse Premier Handicap Stakes 0-115 over 1 Mile 5 Furlongs (2600m):
They went no pace at all with Aljaareh (a winner of this race in ‘07 & ’08) setting off in front with Noble Athlete and Malik D’Or snapping at his heels in behind. As they approached the final two furlongs Taabeer made an effort to go for home with Aljaareh galloping head to head, whilst Deolali was staying on determinedly down the centre of the track. But as they came inside the final furlong it was Al Mannsoub (Akbar x Morgane De Piboul) under a power packed ride from Tighe O’Shea in the colours of HH Sheikh Hamdan who came with a wet sail and powered clear to win going away by eleven lengths for trainer Gill Duffield. Back in second was an incredible performance from Deolali (Khairoaun x Operetta (Silver Scenario)) – who has been fourth in this race for the last two years – aged 10 he shows no sign of time diminishing his ability and stayed on really strongly to take hold onto second for trainer Adam Newey ahead of Taabeer (Vasilisk x Bisbille), whilst Aljaareh under top weight was a gallant neck back in fourth.

The Jumeirah Group Handicap Stakes 0-90 over 1 Mile (1600 m):
Gill Duffield and HH Sheikh Hamdan followed up in this race with a double when the ultra smart Riko (Dormane x Cary De Carrere) lived up to his family’s impressive reputation (brother Kaolino won G1 Kahayala Classic and sister Quaolino won G1 Zaabeel Stakes) to land an convincing victory here on only his second start. A winner of his maiden he was held up in the field as the ever tough Shuhood and Jelvita cut out the early running setting a decent pace on the soft going. As they came inside the final two furlong a bang in form Martin Smith kicked for home on Riko and galloped clear inside the final furlong to win by two lengths. Recent Fontwell winner Yaqoot (Darike x Nirva De Cardonne) gamely battled on in the final furlong and came with a strong run but never looked like winning, but was in turn comfortably clear of the Royal Cavalry of Oman’s useful looking maiden A’Naser (Newday x A’Sabooh) who ran another big race. Whilst Jelvita held onto fourth by a nose from a staying on Al Janoob who ran a game race under top weight on his second start.


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