Dubai: Aljamaaheer can be a big player in Saturday’s Diamond Jubilee Stakes, Royal Ascot’s most prestigious sprint and the highlight of the final day’s meeting.
Roger Varian’s former mile specialist, who has readily taken to shorter distances this season, is among the leading contenders in the £525,000 (Dh3.2 million) contest run over a straight six furlongs at the Berkshire track.
Aljamaaheer is also bidding to provide owner Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, with a third Diamond Jubilee trophy following wins by Malhub in 2002 and Atraf in 1996.
A £105,000 son of Dubawi he will be making his third appearance at the Royal meeting following a third place effort in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes in 2012 and a much improved performance the following year when he was only beaten three quarters of a length by Declaration Of War in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes.
He faces 14 rivals on Saturday including the steady ante-post favourite Slade Power, Aidan O’Brien’s progressive Due Diligience and Godolphin’s Tawhid, winner of the Dubai Duty Free Cup at Newbury last season.
Slade Power will bid to complete a great sprinting double for trainer Ed Lynam who on Tuesday won the King’s Stand Stakes (G1) with stable star Sole Power.
Other noteworthy contenders include Tom Hogan’s globetrotter Gordon Lord Byron, who was last seen in action at Sha Tin last month, and Eric Libaud’s American Devil from France.
Medicean Man, Jack Dexter and Es Que Love, all of whom contested the King’s Stand on Tuesday, make their second appearance of the week.
Saturday’s card also features the Workingham Stakes, another classy sprint which has attracted a big field of 28 runners led by Ninjago, Rocky Ground and Seeking Magic.
