National Day cups promise a thriller

saturday — Traditionally one of the highlights of the Abu Dhabi campaign, Sunday’s National Day Cup fixture promises to be a cracker with two competitive highlights, specifically the first of three Thoroughbred big races in the capital each season, as well as the Purebred Arabian equivalent. Both races are over 1,600m and have a new name this year: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup.

The only Thoroughbred race on the card — The Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup (Listed) — looks particularly competitive with the maximum allowed field of 16 set to face the starter around the sharp, clockwise, Abu Dhabi track.

They include the veteran Forjatt, now a 10-year-old, victorious in the race in 2015 when trained by Dhruba Selvaratnam for Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and seeking to become the third dual winner of a race first contested in 1993.

However, Emirates Gold (2007/2008) and Sheikh Ahmed’s Jaasoos (2009/10) both retained the title whereas no horse has regained it since. Chris Hayes, in the saddle for that 2015 victory is so again for Nicholas Bachalard who is in his first season as Sheikh Ahmed’s retained trainer at Jebel Ali Stables.

Forjatt has not been seen in public on a racecourse since denied a third Jebel Ali Mile (G3) in January by Shamaal Nibras. Owned by EERC (Emirates Entertainment Racing Club) Shamaal Nibras was second in the 2016 National Day Cup, having previously won the prep race, which he also did last year but was only fifth in the big race itself.