RB Lam Tara Bids For Round Two Of Arabian Triple Crown In Abu Dhabi, Wadeeaa Leads Charge In Liwa Oasis

A good Abu Dhabi card on Sunday is highlighted by the Group 2 Liwa Oasis, but also features the Group 3 Arabian Triple Crown R2.

Leading the charge in the former is Wadeeaa who finished fifth in the world’s richest Purebred Arabian race -the 1600m Group 1 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown- on her local debut, when trained by Xavier Thomas Demeaulte for Yas Horse Racing Management, opened her UAE account when landing the Al Maktoum Challenge R1. That Group One contest over 1600m on the dirt surface at Meydan was her second start in the colours of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and for trainer Mohamed Ali. She has subsequently chased home RB Money To Burn in the 1200m Group 3 Al Ruwais. A 5-year-old and only mare in the field, she receives weight from her eight rivals and looks the one to beat under Szczepan Mazur for whom she was a first Group One winner in that Meydan success when they were probably never headed.

“Obviously she is a very special mare for me in my career,” Mazur said. “She is also versatile and, hopefully, can run another big race on Sunday.”

In the aforementioned Al Ruwais, ES Ajeeb was third and he is back in action after winning last Saturday’s HH The Ruler Of Sharjah Cup. That was over 1700m, but connections have always maintained sprint races on dirt are his optimum conditions.

Richard Mullen and Jean de Roualle combine with Dahham, yet to win after six UAE outings, but was a dual Group One winner in Europe. A 6-year-old owned by Yas Horse Racing Management, he started his local career promisingly, but needs to bounce back after two very disappointing efforts.

The 2200m Group 3 Arabian Triple Crown R2 for 4-year-olds looks at the mercy of RB Lam Tara who was ultra-impressive when winning the Listed first round over 1600m. Trained by Eric Lemartinel for Sheikha Alyazia bint Sultan Al Nahyan, she was equally impressive on debut in a 1600m Abu Dhabi maiden, before struggling against her elders in a handicap over the same course and distance. The mount of Fabrice Veron, having landed the first round by almost 15 lengths, she will surely be very hard to beat assuming the extra 600m does not catch her out.

Another filly, Hakeemat Muscat, made a very pleasing start to her UAE career, finding just RB Money To Burn too good in the 1600m Listed Abu Dhabi Championship. Antonio Fresu rides for Yousif Al Kalbani, but like RB Lam Tara, she appears to have the stamina for this having registered her two victories on dirt over 1200m and 1600m in Muscat.

Of the other 12, Dohaa was easy winner of a 1200m Abu Dhabi maiden three weeks ago and as on that occasion, she will be ridden by Mullen for Sheikh Mansour and Ali. Representing the all- conquering team of Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda, Ernst Oertel and Tadhg O’Shea, AF Mouthirah puts her unbeaten record on the line after two victories. Successful in both the Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic over 1400m and Emirates Fillies Classic over 200m further, she will find this a lot tougher with eight colts in opposition.

That said, they do not appear to hold such obvious claims as the six fillies.

The only Thoroughbred race is a 2200m maiden with the maximum allowed field of 16 set to face the starter. Mullen rides Killdeer for Satish Seemar and they should be thereabouts along with Muwaaly, trained by Fawzi Nass and the mount of Adrie de Vries.

Ahmad bin Harmash and Connor Beasley combine with Loyal Soldier who, along with Cranesbill, with Fresu aboard for Erwan Charpy, could prove best of the rest.