Dubai: Manark sparked trainer Erwan Charpy’s dream of winning back-to-back Dubai Kahayla Classic (G1) after storming home an impressive winner of the Group 2 Mazrat Al Ruwayah, the Purebred Arabian highlight, at yesterday’s Al Tayer Motors-sponsored race meeting at Meydan Racecourse.

A French-bred six-year-old who is held in the highest regard by his handler, Manark was making amends for a lacklustre performance on the turf at Abu Dhabi six weeks ago when he finished a distance behind Kalino in the Group 1 Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown.

Charpy’s stable broke out of the gates full of running and made every yard count as he totally dominated his 11 rivals over the 1,600 metre trip to win by three-and-a-quarter lengths from former French-based Sivit Al Maury, who finished strongly to deny Sha’Red by a neck.

Since Madjani strung together a hat-trick of wins between 2005 and 2007, no horse has returned to successfully defend his title in the $1 million (Dh3.67 million) Kahayla Classic, one of the most prestigious and sought after Arabian races in the world.

“It’s nice to think that he can win another Kahayla Classic, and while that race is his ultimate target, it’s still a long way off,” said Charpy.

“But yes, I’ve very pleased with how he performed tonight. He’s not the easiest of horses to train, or to ride for that matter. So I’m really happy with how things went and I think Paul [Hanagan] did a wonderful job.

Bursting to go

“Paul said that he was just bursting to go and he had to really hold on to him and be patient. He’s a horse with such a high cruising speed that you want to hold on to him for as long as possible before you let him go,” added the Frenchman. “He’s a very high-tempered horse and you really have to watch over him carefully.

“Obviously he has the class and I think his work rider Paul Devlin had done a great job with him at home and as a result he has become more manageable.”

Charpy acknowledged that Manark is right up there with the best horses he has trained and said that it was horses like him, who have so much to offer and are so exciting to train, that make his job all the more satisfying.

“He’s worth a full yard of horses, he’s very special,” said Charpy, who has repeatedly emphasised his passion for training Purebred Arabians. “I’ve always said that Arabians are wonderful horses to train, not just because they can be quirky and are quite a challenge. It’s perhaps because they have so much fun.”