Dubai: Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, celebrated four victories on the second day of the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials at Newbury Racecourse on Saturday.
Mahsoob won the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Handicap and Muhaarar claimed the Aon Greenham Stakes, before Intillaq and Sahaafy won first and second divisions of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Maiden Stakes, respectively.
Jockey Paul Hanagan had secured a hat-trick on Mahsoob, Intillaq and Sahaafy, while Frankie Dettori rode Muhaarar to victory, also kicking off his own hat-trick before going on to win the Be Wiser Spring Cup on Ayaar and the Al Basti Equiworld Maiden Stakes on Mr. Singh.
Mahsoob and Intilaaq are both home-bred by Shaikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Estate Company. Mahsoob, trained by John Gosden, retained his unbeaten record with this win and can now have his sights raised higher than handicaps. Intilaaq, meanwhile, is entered for the Derby and is considered by trainer Roger Varian as the best of his maidens.
Muhaarar, trained by Charles Hills, also announced himself as a 2,000 Guineas candidate with his win, despite being the longest priced of Shaikh Hamdan’s three runners, wearing the third choice red cap. Shaikh Hamdan’s other runners in this race were second-placed Estidhkaar, trained by Richard Hannon and ridden by Paul Hanaghan and seventh-placed Fannaan trained by Gosden and ridden by Dane O’Neill.
Hills will now wait on the decision of Shaikh Hamdan to see if Muhaarar will be entered for the French Guineas, while despite defeat to Muhaarar, Hannon was confident Shaikh Hamdan’s Estidhkaar would still be the one to beat in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in a fortnight’s time.
There were only a couple of Godolphin runners throughout the day. The best of them was Romsdal, who, trained by Gosden and ridden by James Doyle, finished third in the Finest Surprise Stakes, behind Arab Spring and Pether’s Moon.
It was a day to remember for Shaikh Hamdan and for a large crowd who appreciated the quality of racing on show. Following up on this hugely successful meeting at Newbury, Dubai Duty Free will be fast forwarding to the 150th Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby on the Curragh and then the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot.
