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  • 24 March 2023
    Clash of Japanese stars in thrilling Longines Dubai Sheema Classic

    Equinox, 2022’s best three-year-old in the world on official ratings, faces defending champion Shahryar in a Longines Sheema Classic to savour.
    The winner of the G1 Arima Kinen last time out, Equinox arrives in Dubai seemingly at the peak of his powers.

  • 24 March 2023
    Lord North as good as ever in historic Turf hat-trick bid

    Lord North will bid to make history by becoming the first three-time winner of the G1 Dubai Turf (sponsored by DP World) on Saturday afternoon.
    The seven year old dead-heated with the Japanese challenger Panthalassa in a thrilling renewal of this race 12 months ago and while that rival goes for the World Cup itself this time around, the other defending champion will face a formidable field of 15 rivals.

  • 24 March 2023
    Panthalassa, Country Grammer set for Skirmish on the Sands

    The thunderous tones of famed ring announcer Michael Buffer may be the only missing element ahead of what will undoubtedly be a heavyweight world championship bout in the US$12 million Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline.
    Perhaps commentator Larry Collmus, the first American to act as the dirt feature’s soundtrack in its 27-year history, will roll out Buffer’s most famous drawl – “Let’s get ready to rumble!” – before the gates fly at the 2,000m start on Saturday.

  • 18 March 2023
    Watson mare scoops Al Ain Marathon Series in style

    Al Ain staged the third round of the Al Ain Marathon Series on Saturday, a 5100m prestige handicap and Al Mahbooba, trained by Doug Watson, completed an unprecedented treble by becoming the winner of all three legs.

    The comfortable winner of the first round, over 3200m, under Sam Hitchcott, she and Pat Dobbs then turned the second leg into a rout.

    Dobbs was again in the saddle on this occasion and exuded confidence throughout, only asking the 7yo mare to get competitive entering the long straight and taking complete control over the final 275m.

  • 17 March 2023
    Watson’s mare seeks place in Al Ain racing record books

    Al Ain stages the third round of the Al Ain Marathon Series on Saturday, a 5100m prestige handicap for which nine have been declared, the weights headed by Al Mahbooba, seeking to become the first horse to land all three legs in the same season.

    A 7yo mare, she won the 3200m first leg comfortably, under Sam Hitchcott, before turning round two, over 4100m, into a procession. Pat Dobbs, in the saddle for that second victory, is again in the saddle.

  • 16 March 2023
    Pinheiro double highlighted by feature race success with O’Shea also celebrating a brace in the capital

    The six races at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Thursday were highlighted by the AED1 million 2200m Group 1 Emirates Championship and the valuable prize went to Yas Racing’s Ajrad Athbah, saddled by Majed Al Jahoori and completing a double on the card for jockey Bernardo Pinheiro.

    Settled behind the early pace, the 5yo entire was committed for home early in the straight and never looked likely to be caught, the horse registering just his second career victory and first on turf.

  • 15 March 2023
    Fascinating renewal of Emirates Championship Thursday’s capital highlight

    Six races at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Thursday are highlighted by the AED1 million 2200m Group 1 Emirates Championship for which the capacity field of 14 are set to face the starter, including Somoud, winner of the race in both 2020 (for Ahmed Al Mehairbi) and 2021 for current trainer Jean de Roualle.

    Yas Racing’s now 9yo entire was fourth when seeking to complete a hat-trick last year and is also a dual winner of HH The President Cup, over the same 2200m course and distance.

  • 13 March 2023
    Déjà vu as AF Maqam retains his cup crown

    Sunday was Sharjah’s final fixture of the current campaign, highlighted by a Prestige contest, the 1700m HH The Ruler of Sharjah Cup, and AF Maqam repeated his victory of 12 months ago, the homebred 5yo entire again landing the prize under Tadhg O’Shea for Ernst Oertel and Khalid Khlaifa Al Nabooda, completing a double on the card for owner and trainer.

    A 1000m handicap was pretty much dominated from the outset by AF Qadeh, positively ridden by apprentice Marelino Rodrigues for Oertel and Al Nabooda.

  • 11 March 2023
    Road Bloc grabs final feature of Jebel Ali campaign

    Saturday’s final Jebel Ali fixture of the season was highlighted by the 1000m Listed Jebel Ali Sprint and the progressive Road Bloc was always in control once grabbing the initiative just inside the final 200m.

    Partnered by Oscar Chavez for Osama Refai, in the colours of Sayed Hashish & Mrs Hana Refai, the 5yo gelded son of Street Sense began the season as a maiden, after one start in the US, making a winning local debut over 1400m on the dirt at Meydan Racecourse.

  • 11 March 2023
    Sharjah season concludes Sunday with ruler’s cup

    Sunday is the final fixture of the current campaign to be staged at Sharjah highlighted by a Prestige contest, the 1700m HH The Ruler of Sharjah Cup, won last year by AF Maqam for Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda, Ernst Oertel and Tadhg O’Shea.

    They are back to attempt to defend their title and it will be a big surprise if they are not a major danger to the remaining 10 in a feature restricted to 4&5yos who were foaled in the UAE.

  • 10 March 2023
    Fresu’s Friday treble highlighted by Al Ain Mile success

    Seven races at Al Ain on Friday were highlighted by the Group 3 Al Ain Mile and the feature proved a fascinating contest with eight of the ten runners seemingly intent to lead early on.
    It was only at the top of the straight Nadelshiba and Antonio Fresu gained a definite advantage, one they refused to relinquish, the jockey completing a treble on the card.

  • 10 March 2023
    Sprinters in spotlight as Jebel Ali season draws to a close

    Saturday’s final Jebel Ali fixture of the season is a good one, seven races highlighted by the 1000m Listed Jebel Ali Sprint which has attracted a field of 14, including the two most recent winners, both trained by Doug Watson.

    Last year it was Shadwell’s Khuzaam that landed the AED500,000 feature and he has only run twice since, both times on the Meydan Racecourse turf track – in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on last year’s Dubai World Cup card and, 321 days later, in the Group 2 Blue Point Sprint.

    The homebred 7yo gelding will be partnered by the owner’s retained jockey Dane O’Neill.

  • 09 March 2023
    Pinheiro takes Abu Dhabi plaudits with a treble

    Thursday evening’s Abu Dhabi card of six races concluded with the sole Thoroughbred contest, a 1400m handicap which appeared particularly competitive on paper with a capacity field of 14 facing the starter but was turned into a rout by Nibras Passion.

    A 5yo gelded son of Iffraaj, saddled by Ismail Mohammed for Saeed Humaid Al Tayer, he surged clear in the final 225m, completing a double on the card for Tadhg O’Shea.

    In doing so the gelding doubled his own career tally, adding this to an equally impressive course and distance maiden success, as a 3yo, in January 2021.

  • 09 March 2023
    Competitive Mile Friday’s Al Ain highlight

    Seven races at Al Ain on Friday, highlighted by the Al Ain Mile which has attracted a field of 10, among them Snan, winner of a 2000m conditions contest on this course on his penultimate start and then far from disgraced finishing eighth, beaten just four lengths, in the 2200m Group 1 HH The President Cup on the Abu Dhabi turf.

  • 08 March 2023
    Fascinating Thoroughbred finale well worth the wait at Abu Dhabi on Thursday

    Six races in Abu Dhabi on Thursday evening, just the one for Thoroughbreds, the concluding 1400m handicap which has attracted the maximum field allowed of 14, the weights headed by El Patriota.

    Trained by Antonio Cintra, the 5yo gelding arrived in the UAE having won three times, from just four starts, in his native South America, twice in Listed company.

    He then, as a 3yo, made a winning local debut at the end of January 2021 in the Al Bastakiya Trial over 1900m on the Meydan Racecourse dirt track but has failed to add to that success in 11 subsequent outings.