Dubai World Cup: Al Mamun Monlau wrecks Erwan Charpy’s hopes

Dubai: Erwan Charpy’s dream of a first win on Dubai World Cup day was dealt a cruel blow by the Jean-Francois Bernard-trained Al Mamun Monlau on Saturday. In the opening race of the 18th edition of the Dubai World Cup, Al Mamun Monlau under Christophe Soumillon showed a fine turn of foot to catch and pip Charpy’s Versac PY on the line and win the Dubai Kahayla Classic (G1) for Purebred Arabians.

The five-year-old son of Munjiz raced in the rear for most of the 10-furlong trip after Areem set the early pace. Just before turning for home, Versac PY and jockey Paul Hanagan moved into top gear and then led the pack as they began the run for the judge.

It seemed the six-year-old Njewman son, second in his two previous Group One races here during the Dubai World Cup Carnival, seemed to be finally set to clinch the big one. But with defending champion TM Fred Texas not able to strike the same form of 12 months ago, it was left to Al Mamun Monlau, also owned by Qatar’s Shaikh Joaan Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, to step in and battle Versac PY.

The two matched each other stride for stride and then, in one final effort, Al Mamun Monlau stuck his head out and earned a third success for Qatar in four years in what is the most prestigious race for Purebred Arabians at the world’s richest race meeting.

TM Fred Texas ran in third, while his full brother Junior Johnson failed to impress, finishing at the tail of the field.

While the visiting Qatari group were ecstatic with the narrow win, it was heartbreak for Charpy, who just a day earlier told Gulf News that he did not know how to get that last extra effort from his gutsy runner.

For Al Mamun Monlau, after a great start that included a Group One and a Group three win, Saturday’s Kahayla victory ended a string of five losses and critics of his quirky behaviour will have surely been silenced.

Winning jockey Soumillon said: “This was such a fantastic race and I had plenty of chances to move him on the outside and start challenging the leaders. The idea was just to stay with the leading pack and go for it at the end.

“What a fight it turned out to be at the finish. I’m so happy to be involved in such a race and with such a lovely horse.”

Trainer Bernard said: “He is the best three-year-old in France and he liked it here from the day he arrived. He had a lot of gas left halfway round the turn [for home] and I thought he would finish well. Christophe rode a great race and I am very happy.

“This is such a strong field and it is a great reflection of this horse’s ability.”

Nasser Sharida Al Kaabi, the owner’s representative, said: “I think this was simply such an amazing race. We always believed in this horse and that he could adapt to the surface and take them all. We went into this race confident that Al Mamun Monlau would be the surprise.”