Dubai: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, who has been a great supporter of the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Weekend, once again looks set to be represented at the April 15-16 race meeting at Newbury Racecourse with a four-strong challenge.
Daphne and Fabricate will race in her famous silks on Friday for trainers William Haggas and Michael Bell, followed by Patent and Molton Gold on Saturday for trainers Richard Hannon and Andrew Balding.
One of the early serious flat events in the UK calendar, the meeting has delivered time and time again in unearthing a large pool of talent for the season ahead.
Last year saw Muhaarar, owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance and Industry, won a thrilling renewal of the Greenham Stakes under big-race jockey Frankie Dettori. Little did the crowd know then that Muhaarar would go on to win a further four races and be crowned Champion sprinter for 2015.
Dubai Duty Free, the world’s leading airport retailer and title sponsor of the meeting, backs seven of the 14 races, offering over £200,000 (Dh1.04 million) in prize-money, in what will be their 21st year of supporting the event.
As well as top-class action on track, visitors can win free entry into the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise and Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draws and will also have the chance to sample Dubai’s hospitality at the event, with complimentary dates and traditional Arabic coffee in the Dubai Duty Free Marquee adjacent to the parade ring.
The William Haggas-trained Besharah looks to be the leading fancy for the Dubai Duty Free Stakes after winning four times last year as a juvenile. The three-year-old filly by Kodiac is stepping up in trip and is looking to use the race as a stepping stone to the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 1.
Trainer Ralph Beckett, who has won the Dubai Duty Free Stakes four times, most recently with Redstart last year, holds two entries with Little Avon and Nassuvian Pearl, who were both successful on their only starts last season.
The Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials is the first of four horse racing fixtures sponsored by Dubai Duty Free throughout the year. Others include the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh in June, the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot in August, before returning to Newbury for the Dubai Duty Free International Weekend in September.
