Fresu lands Al Ruwais and Arabian Triple Crown glory

The official highlight, over 1900m on dirt, is the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2 for which nine have been declared and landed in the past by subsequent Dubai World Cup winners Moon Ballad (2003) and Thunder Snow (2018)

racing manager, Muammer Abdulla, said: “He is a nice horse and you can ignore his last run; we tried cheekpieces and he did not like them.”

Nass, Victorious and De Vries will be seeking to land the Purebred Arabian equivalent, the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R2, with local debutant Hiab Al Zaman, a Grade One winner in his native US and who looks a classy new recruit.

The 15 opposing include Rajeh, winner last year for Musabbeh Al Mheiri, and 2021 victor RB Frynch Dude, trained by Helal Alalawi.

The first of the turf features is for fillies and mares, the 1600m Group 2 Cape Verdi and, predictably, Godolphin appear to hold a particularly strong hand, responsible for four of the 12 runners declared, two apiece for Charlie Appleby and Saeed Bin Suroor.

For Appleby, William Buick partners With The Moonlight in preference to Wild Beauty, the mount of Doyle. Sot Whisper and Danny Tudhope appear the main Bin Suroor hope with De Vries coming in for the spare ride aboard White Moonlight with Pat Cosgrave suspended.

Bin Suroor said: “Sot Whisper is a tough filly, who always tries in her races, and came out of her win in the Ipi Tombe Stakes in good form. She has been going well at home and I’m looking for another success from her.

“White Moonlight is a big, strong filly, who is improving all the time. Her latest piece of work went well and the step back up in trip will suit. We are hopeful of another good effort.” abu Dhabi: Thursday’s fascinating six race card on the Abu Dhabi turf was highlighted by the 1200m Group 3 Al Ruwais which was contested by just seven runners but six of them remained in contention entering the final 350m before Antonio Fresu and Namrood delivered the decisive burst to setle maters with just over 50m remaining.

Saddled by Musabbeh Al Mheiri for Ahmad Bintooq Al Marri, the 6yo gelding was doubling his career tally in the process while scoring for the first time on turf, his previous success registered on the dirt, over 1600m, at Meydan just over a year ago. That was actually his local debut ater six outings in his native France.

Fresu said: “He has always shown ability and the 1200m on turf has really suited him. He travelled well and then quickened so it was a very good performance in a tough race.”

The main support race, for 4yos over 1600m, the Listed Arabian Triple Crown R1, was dominated by Helal Alalawi and National Stables who were responsible for the first two home, RB Kingmaker scoring comfortably under Fresu, the pair chased home by stable companion Sincerely.

Making his turf debut, was a case of third time lucky for the colt, third on debut and runner-up on his second appearance so now boasting form figures of 321.

A delighted Alalawi said: “Obviously we have to be very pleased with that and both have run well. They are two nice horses and we were quite hopeful.”

Fresu added: “He had run well twice on dirt but you never know when they switch surface. He will improve again because he was very green when we hit the front and will have learned plenty.

A Prestige contest for horses foaled locally, also over 1600m, the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup went to AF Maqam, Tadhg O’shea in the saddle for his main employer, Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda and the owner’s principal trainer Ernst Oertel.

A homebred 5yo entire, he was winning for the fourth time, ater nine outings and always looked in control ater hiting the front early in the straight.

Oertel said: “He is a very nice horse and one we have always really liked.”

O’shea completed a double in the only Thoroughbred race on the card, the concluding 1400m maiden, combining with Bhupat Seemar and John Walter Moraes, Lake Causeway delivering the goods.

For horses in private ownership, the opening 2200m handicap was won stylishly by AF Kayed, previously a maiden ater 13 starts, produced to lead in the final 75m by apprentice Connor Planas for Helal Alalawi and the first winner to sport the colours of Abdulla Mohammed Darwish Abdalatif Alkhoori. It was the owner’s tenth runner.