Tribal Conquest heads weights at Abu Dhabi meet
ABUDHABI: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club stage their irst meeting of the new year on Sunday, a six-race card highlighted by the only Thoroughbred contest, a 2400m handicap that has attracted the maximum allowed ield of 14. The weights are headed by local debutant Tribal Conquest.
Owned and trained by Ismail Mohammed, whose horses are currently in very good form, the 5-year-old gelded son of Shamardal has won once from just four starts for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby, a 2000m Doncaster maiden in early August 2017 on his third outing.
He was then well beaten in a very competitive 2000m handicap at Goodwood having tried to make all the running before weakening in the final 400m, but has not been seen since, so is returning here after 504 days off. However, this Abu Dhabi assignment does represent a drop in class and the mount of Fabrice Veron, he has to be respected.
“We are looking forward to getting him on the track,” Mohammed said. “His work has been good and this looked the perfect opportunity to run him with conditions that will suit.”
Owned by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Outre Mer makes a quick return to action having failed to land a blow in a 2000m turf handicap at Meydan last Saturday. That was his second local outing for Nicholas Bachalard, having made his dirt debut on the Jebel Ali track where he is trained, at the end of November. A 5-year-old gelded son of Raven’s Pass, that first start locally was his first for 766 days and since leaving John Gosden for whom he won twice, from six starts, in the Godolphin blue. Chris Hayes rides.
Bachalard said: “He needed his first run badly after such a long break and lost his chance leaving the stalls last week. He seems in good form at home, so hopefully Sunday’s test will suit him.”
Local champion trainer Doug Watson relies on Bowditch, the mount of Pat Dobbs. Making just his third start for the American, having also started his career with Gosden, he is now owned by Mohd Khalifa Al Basti. His first UAE outing was over 1800m at Jebel Ali, when beaten a long way, and before finding 1600m at Abu Dhabi too sharp a test three weeks ago.
“We really like him and this looks the perfect spot,” Watson said. “He just did not handle Jebel Ali the first day and then the 1600m was too short last time.”