Connor Beasley on Heros De Lagarde won the Dh8 million Group 1 President’s Cup for Omani trainer Ibrahim Al Hadhrami, who took his biggest career prize at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Sunday.
Racing on the near rails for most of the 2,200-metre trip, Beasley worked his way through the horses ahead of him to get the seven-year-old in front at the 200m mark to win from Bernardo Pinheiro on Sunny Du Loup and Ray Dawson atop Bahwan by 2-1/4 and 1-3/4 lengths respectively.
Beasley celebrated by whipping the air even before crossing the line as Heros De Lagarde, in the silks of Oman’s Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al Hashar, completed his seventh win in 22 starts.
“This horse has been with me as a two year old and has run all his races for me. He has been consistent and winning his fifth race in the last seven starts,” Al Hadhrami said.
“He is such a good horse and tonight he proved that he was the best in a field that drew some of the finest Purebred Arabians from Europe and around this region. He’s also versatile, having won both on turf and dirt, and distances varying from 1,200m to 2,200m.
“He came into this race on the back of a Group 3 success over the 1,600m distance on this track. I thought he would run a good race as compared to a lot of other runners but winning the race was just fantastic.”
James Doyle bagged the thoroughbred equivalent by producing a well-timed run on Make Me King to scoop the Listed Dh1 million prize.
Doyle had a lot of work to do atop the four-year-old Dark Angel gelding as they turned for home.
However, the stable jockey for the Qatar-based Al Wathnan Stables was on a willing partner as he weaved through runners to collar Ben Coen on Marbaan and Laneqash under Jim Crawley close to the finish line.
“He's a high quality horse, he's had a good campaign both in Qatar last season and a good campaign back home in the UK,” Doyle said of the winner.
“He wasn't top rated, he was second top rated. But he came in good form tonight and the team were very confident.”
Doyle was in seventh when turning for home at the 400m pole, yet he managed to get past all those in front to win by three-quarter length.
“There's no better feeling, but you know I wanted to be a bit handier, but the gallop was a bit too strong for me so I was happy to let them get on with it. I just prayed that the gaps opened and they did.”
It was also Doyle’s second President’s Cup winner after he steered the Dhruba Selvaratnam trained Jaasoos way back in 2011.
“That was actually my first Listed winner ever in my career. So, this track has got a place in my heart.”
Results
President’s Cup Listed Dh1,000,000 for thoroughbreds 1,400m
1. Make Me King, James Doyle (jockey), Hamad Al Jehani (trainer)
2. Marbaan, Ben Coen, Michael Costa
3. Laneqash, Jim Crawley, Bhupat Seemar
President’s Cup Group 1 Dh8,000,000 for Purebred Arabians 2,200m
1. Heros De Lagarde, Connor Beasley, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
2. Suny Du Loup, Bernardo Pinheiro, Hamad Al Marar
3. Bahwan, Ray Dawson, Mohammed Al Shamsi