RB Money To Burn heads Lemartinel’s triple hand in Abu Dhabi Championship
Eric Lemartinel is triple handed in today’s Abu Dhabi Championship, with RB Money To Burn, RB Lam Tara and Eghel De Pine all coming into the race off the back of wins.
RB Money To Burn, the choice of stable jockey Pat Cosgrave, spearheads the challenge in the 1,600-metre Listed race for three-year-old colts and fillies that has drawn the maximum 16 runners.
The American bred daughter of Majd Al Arab was an impressive winner of her only start, trouncing stable companion Eghel De Pine by more than nine lengths at the Al Ain Racecourse last month.
Eghel De Pine overcame that setback by winning his next start over the course and distance in Abu Dhabi last week.
Olivier Doleuze is on board the colt with Fabrice Veron retaining the ride on RB Lam Tara, also an impressive winner of her only start, in Abu Dhabi three weeks ago.
Omani challenger Hadiyah is one of the main challengers to Lemartinel’s trio. The filly trained by Said Al Badi is the highest rated in the field, at 94, and has never been finished outside the first three in her four starts.
Hadiyah made a winning debut on the Muscat dirt in March before running twice at Newbury in England.
She followed a second in a 1,400m conditions race by finishing third over the same course and distance in a Group 3 contest. On her return to Oman, she went down by a neck to Ibra Lady in a conditions race two weeks ago over the 1,200m distance.
The six-race card made up of five races for the Purebred Arabians features a competitive handicap for thoroughbreds run over 2,400m that has drawn some Dubai World Cup hopefuls in the Doug Watson-trained Empoli, the choice of stable jockey Pat Dobbs, and Basateen ridden by Sam Hitchcott.
“Basateen threw away any chance with a slow start at Abu Dhabi over 1,600m on his reappearance and only outing this season,” Watson said.
“He did well to finish as close as he did and will appreciate the longer trip and is in great form at home.
“Empoli showed last year he likes it at Abu Dhabi and is capable of running well fresh, so we are hoping he can produce a big run, but it does look a strong field.”