Arabian
Racing Review
Newbury 10th July
by Paul Simmons
The
Athbah Stud Premier Handicap 0-85 over 1 Mile 2 Furlongs:
A fascinating competitive handicap on show here but
in the end the bookies took a battering as 11/4 on favourite landed
a hatrick scorching home from stablemate Thimaar under a well
judged powerful ride from Phil Collington. They broke quickly
from the stalls and made smooth progress from the straight, but
Collington was always going ominiously well on Adraaj (Bengali
D’Albret x Aicha Tourettes) and this talented filly maintained
her unbeaten record to quicken clear in fine style inside the
final furlong to win by an easy two lengths for trainer Gill Duffield
and owner HH Sheikh Hamdan. Back in second was stablemate Thimaar
(Chndaka x Alharir) who ran superb race on onl her second start,
she won her maiden by a neck over 7 furlongs at Huntingdon but
found this much tougher, she chased the winner hard inside the
final furlong but was always being held. Whilst A’Naser
(Newday x A’Sabooh) looks to be progressing nicely, he has
been placed in some hot maidens but travelled well and stuck to
his task well inside the final furlong but finished a good three
lengths back from Thimaar, but kept up to his work ahead of decent
yard stick Deolali.