ABU DHABI // Sha’Red bagged his biggest career prize with a repeat of his feat four weeks ago over his new stable companion Areem.
Sha’Red was successful in a Group 3 over the 1,000-metre trip when trained by Yousef Al Bloushi and last night provided his new handler, Majed Al Jahouri, a more convincing victory over the 1,400m distance.
With Silvestre de Sousa onboard the five-year-old grey son of Bibi De Carrere produced a familiar late challenge to win going away by three-and-three-quarter lengths in the featured Dh 500,000 Group 1 Liwa Oasis at the capital’s racecourse on Sunday night.
Sha’Red and Areem are both owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed and he is the principal patron of Al Jahouri and Al Bloushi.
“He’s done well to win his last two races and that’s it for him this season,” Al Jahouri said.
“The National Day Cup will be his next target next season. This was his first Group 1 success and we expect him to improve further.”
Areem made his familiar front running under Ahmd Ajtebi but was overtaken by De Sousa at the 200m mark.
“Areem has lost some of his speed but is still good enough to finish in the money,” said Al Jahouri on the seven-year-old bay son of Mahabb.
“He loves the turf and, with age, wants to travel further, perhaps 2,000m, a distance we can’t find any races for him in Abu Dhabi. However, he has done his lot and we’ll see what’s for him next season.”
Al Jahouri and De Sousa were completing a double on the night after claiming the opener on Da’Areen.
Salem Al Ketbi and Tadhg O’Shea swept the Arabian Triple Crown series following Namrood’s victory in Round 3. Namrood was left with only three others to challenge after the withdrawal of stable companion Shaheer, winner of the middle leg of the race series for four year olds.
“It was a bit of a tactical race in such a small field but he’s a very good horse. He ran second in the Round 2 and obviously came out of this race well,” O’Shea said.
“It was a nice confidence booster for him. He didn’t have a hard race so it is time and upwards for him in Abu Dhabi.”
Gerald Avranche rode a double for two different trainers on the night. He travelled from last to first on the Erwan Charpy-trained Prince Suhail in the solitary race for thoroughbreds and steered Eric Lemartinel’s Ain Jaloot to his fifth win on the trot in the Wathba Stud Farm Cup.
Ain Jaloot clocked 1.00.53 to lower the track record of AF Lafeh (1.00.88) over the 1,000m sprint.
apassela@thenational.ae
DESIGNS ON ROME ON COURSE FOR WORLD CUP NIGHT
Designs On Rome is on course for the Dubai Sheema Classic on World Cup night after he won the Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup at Sha Tin.
The five year old won the 2,000-metre contest from Helene Superstar and Blazing Speed. Trainer John Moore has long held Dubai as a target for a Designs On Rome and, after the race, he confirmed that his charge will run at Meydan on March 28.
- Geoffrey Riddle
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