Newbury, UK: Muraaqib, the world’s highest rated Purebred Arabian juvenile of 2015, is the star attraction at Sunday’s 35th Dubai International Arabian Races (DIAR), the UK’s most prestigious and valuable Arabian horseracing meeting, which will be staged at Newbury Racecourse for the 14th time.

One of six Arabians in training with multiple Group 1 winning French trainer Francois Rohaut for Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, Muraaqib takes on seven rivals as he bids to give his owner an unprecedented 13th victory in the Shadwell Dubai International Stakes (Group 1), the showpiece event of a glittering eight-race card.

A winner of two Group 1 races, including the Al Rayyan Cup at Deauville and the Qatar Total Arabian Trophy des Poulains at Saint-Cloud, the son of the mighty Minjiz will start the 2,000-metre contest as the big favourite. He will be ridden by Francois-Xavier Bertras.

Muraaqib, meaning ‘Conductor’ in Arabic, has impressed Rouhat no end inspiring the French handler to pay him glowing tributes.

“I always knew that when Muraaqib would run over 2,000 metres he would be very difficult to beat,” Rouhat said after his Deauville victory last August. “He has a great temperament and an acceleration I have never seen in an Arabian. He is one of the best Arabians I have trained.”

Richard Lancaster, Director of the Shaikh Hamdan-owned Shadwell Stud director, was also in awe of the Shadwell home-bred.

“He is very promising and we are going to proceed step by step with him. It is a great victory as he is home-bred as was his dam. He is well bred, by a confirmed sire. His dam was a good racehorse with a lot of speed, and she only produces beautiful horses.”

Muraaqib, is out of the Shadwell home-bred mare Tashreefat (Bengali d’Albret), who was trained by Gill Duffield, and won four of her 19 starts in the UK and UAE and was placed eight times including second in the Group 1 Liwa Oasis in Abu Dhabi.

The main treat could come from the Alban de Mieulle-trained Majeed, winner of the Group3 Zayed Cup in Holland last season.

The eight-horse field also features Lares De Pine, the first Italian runner in the contest, and Bakir de Flauzins, who caught the eye when winning the DIAR prep race at Newbury earlier this year.

Sunday’s card, which offers a total prize purse of £180,000, also includes two other Group 1 contests, the Jebel Ali Racecourse Za’abeel International stakes over 1,200 metres and the Dubai Duty Free Hatta International Stakes over 2,000 metres.

Sylvine Al Maury, the just highest-rated Purebred Arabian filly of 2015, looks the one to beat in the Hatta International Stakes, which features a quality field of seven runners.

Trained by Elizabeth Bernard for the Royal Cavalry of Oman, the daughter of Munji is the winner of three Group 1 contest including the Qatar Total Rabian Trophy des Juments at Longchamp in 2015.

Elizabeth has taken out a trainers’ license following the death of her husband Jean-Francois in May last year. She also won the Purebred Arabians title at the end of the season.

The Za’abeel International Stakes has attracted nine runners led by Al Mouhannad, who is bidding for a record fourth success in the race.

The DIAR is staged under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan and is the culmination of a newly introduced series of European events backed by Shadwell Stud, the world’s leading Arabian and Thoroughbred racing and breeding operation.

Mirza Al Sayeg, who is the Director of Shaikh Hamdan’s Office and has been overseeing the organisation of the DIAR for over 30 years, is looking forward to another successful meeting.

“His Highness Shaikh Hamdan is a passionate supporter of Arabian racing and will attend Sunday’s races where he has 18 runners.

“He is determined to see this day continue to grow and inspire similar Arabian race days across Europe. We will be assured of some world-class sporting entertainment and competitions.”