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Lady Princess takes Jewel Crown with France dominating Sunday’s Abu Dhabi feature
Arguably the biggest meeting of the whole season on the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club’s acclaimed turf surface, Sunday’s seven race fixture was highlighted by the 2200m AED5 million ($1.36m) Group 1 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown, totally dominated by challengers from France, Lady Princess claiming the spoils. The Frenchman’s two runners — Lady Princess (General x Nacree Al Maury by Kesberoy) and Hoggar De L’Ardes (Mister Ginoux x Alfa De L'Ardus by Kash De L'Ardus) — came home first and second respectively. A first ride in the UAE this season for Jim Crowley, the 5yo mare, after a seemingly planned slow start, was settled in last of the 14 runners with her jockey sat motionless. With about 600m remaining they could be seen attaching themselves to the main pack before switching wide to make their challenge. Early leader Soko was swamped by Hayyan and Hoggar De L’Ardus with about 250m remaining, only for Crowley’s mount to sweep past in devastating fashion. The latter, like the winner trained by Thomas Fourcy, held on for second with Hayyan, Soko and Artemis completing a clean sweep of the first five places for France. Fourcy said: “We thought we had two decent chances but to have first and second in such a valuable race on the international stage is more then we could have hoped for. They were the two highest-rated horses on the field and they were also winners of Group 1 prizes, so we were hopeful, However, I couldn’t wish for a better result than to saddle the first two home. It’s been a wonderful night.” “It was a great ride from Jim and I am absolutely delighted with how my two horses have performed. What a result, both for our team and owners, as well as France!” Jim Crowley on board Lady Princess came with a late strong run to collar her stable companion under Maxime Guyon by three lengths. Crowley, who also won the race on a French challenger, Muraaqib in 2017, added: “From that draw I was always going take my time and get cover. She travelled beautifully, really quickened and ran all the way to the line. It was a very good performance. She’s princess by name and princess by nature.” Frederic Sanchez’s Hayyan (Munjiz x Dahwa by Tidjani) in the silks of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed’s Yas Horse Racing Management took third spot meaning French-trained runners took the first three spots.
Over 1600m, the Purebred Arabian Group 3 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup was won in taking fashion by the exciting Hameem (Valiant Boy x RB Burn Baby Burn by TH Richie), now unbeaten after seven starts for Abdallah Al Hammadi and Al Ajban Stables. Only a 4yo, he looked in trouble on the home turn with most of his nine opponents in front of him, once pulled into space and out of traffic by Pat Cosgrave, he picked up well down the centre of the track, hitting the front entering the final 200m and galloping strongly to the line. Already a Listed race winner as a 3yo, this was a very impressive return to action for the colt that has only raced in Abu Dhabi with six of his seven victories over this 1600m, the previous one in late February. Cosgrave said: “That is the first time I have ridden him and I must admit to being impressed. We had a wall of horses in front on the bend but, once in the clear, he really picked up. He is a nice, young, horse.”
Over the same 1600m course and distance, the Listed Thoroughbred equivalent provided Crowley the perfect opportunity to retain his unblemished UAE record this season, delivering Shadwell’s Moqtarreb (Kingman x Elshaadin by Dalakhani) to snatch the prize in the final strides, denying stable companion Spirit Of Light in the process. Both are trained by Erwan Charpy with Crowley’s mount, a homebred 5yo gelded son of Kingman, registering just a second career success on his first start for Charpy. Formerly with Ali Rashid Al Rayhi, this was actually his maiden UAE success, his only other trip to the winner’s enclosure back in June 2019 when victorious at Newmarket for Roger Varian. Crowley said: “It has been a great evening! Both races worked out perfectly and I had good horses underneath me which always makes the jockey’s job easier.” Charpy added: “I am over the moon with that and I could see both horses were always travelling well so I was happy. It is always great to win the National Day Cup, especially in its 50th year. I have been here for 27 of them and it is very nice to win this prestigious prize again.”
A 1600m conditions contest for fillies and mares, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Cup was won easily by Ihtesham (AF Albahar x Akima Del Sol by Akim De Ducor), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami’s charge defying a racecourse absence of 353 days in style. Partnered by Antonio Fresu for Ben Shahwan Arabian Horse Stables, the 5yo mare has only suffered one defeat here in the capital; on this card last year when only sixth in the Group 3 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup. She had won all four starts prior to that blip. Then, 13 days later, she made her dirt debut, finishing well beaten over 1900m in the Group 2 Madjani Stakes. This was her start since and she could not have been more impressive, tracking RB Money To Burn (Majd Al Arab x RB Burn Baby Burn by TH Richie) until Fresu asked her to win her race, which she did with a burst of acceleration that saw her shoot clear with the outcome almost 300m out settled. Jockey and trainer wasted no time completing a double but Bahar Muscat had to work much harder than Ihtesham had to claim the Purebred Arabian Cup, also a 1600m conditions race but restricted to 3yos.
Sporting the silks of Muscat Stud for Purebred Arabian horses, Fresu committed for home entering the short straight, a move which saw off all bar one of their 13 rivals. Sattam Muscat (Dhiaa Al Reef x Noor Jahan by Gerbya) tried to get to him but never appeared likely to with the winner always seemingly having his measure. Homebred, Bahar Muscat (AF Albahar x Maadi by Hatteen) is now unbeaten after two racecourse appearances having made a winning debut over 1200m on the dirt in Muscat, way back at the end of January, 316 days ago to be precise.
UAE Champion Jockey Tadhg O’Shea made the perfect start to the evening, taking the opening 2200m HH Sheikh Mansoor Al Nahyan Racing Festival aboard Dergham Athbar (AF Albahar x Mndragore Al Maury by Dormane) in the colours of Athbah Racing for trainer Mohamed Daggash.Homebred, the 4yo colt was winning for the third time and second on the Abu Dhabi turf having landed his final outing of last season, in March. That was over this 2200m in the UAE Arabian Derby, a Prestige contest for 4yos. O’Shea said: “We did not go very quick which was not really ideal but I had a very willing partner and he responded when the second came to challenge.”
The meeting concluded with the Wathba Stallions Cup, a 1400m handicap or horses in private ownership, was won by Al Suhooj (Al Waqqad x Aneefa by Monsieur Al Maury) who shot to the front 200m out before running on to score comfortably. A 5yo entire doubling his career tally, he was partnered by Saif Al Balushi for Khalifa Al Neyadi who both owns and trains the winner. Source: Emirates Racing Authority Welcome to Arabian Horse Intl
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