Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi stage a marathon nine-race card today (Sunday) highlighted by the Group 3 Al Ruwais and the prep races for the HH President Cup.
The 1000m Al Ruwais has attracted eight runners including group One winners Areem and Bigg N Rich.
Trained by Eric Lemartinel, Bigg N Rich was ahead of Areem when they were second and third respectively in the Group 2 Mazrat Al Ruwayah on the Meydan Racecourse dirt.
Lemartinel’s charge then went on to win the Group 1 opening round of the Al Maktoum Challenge over the same 1600m course and distance.
This will be only his second start over the minimum 1000m trip and jockey Wayne Smith who will be in the saddle for the fifth consecutive occasion said: “He travels strongly in his races. So hopefully he can handle the drop in trip but his penalty will make things more difficult obviously.”
Areem won both the Group 1 National Day Cup (1600m) and Liwa Oasis (1400m) last season but had to settle for second in this year’s National Day Cup before the aforementioned third in the Mazrat al Ruwayah.
Silvestre de Sousa rides for Majed Al Jahouri and he has to be considered given his abundant natural pace and his tendency to race from the front.
Interestingly, it will be the first time he has tried 1000m.
“The trip should not be a problem,” said De Sousa. “Hopefully we can get away well from our middle draw and I am looking forward to it.”
