By Sam Turner -
Heros De Lagarde paid a handsome compliment to AL Laith when showcasing his trademark turn of foot to secure Group 1 glory at Abu Dhabi on Thursday with victory in the Emirates Championship.
Confidently ridden by regular partner and title aspirant Connor Beasley, the talented grey seven-year-old had finished an eye-catching second to Al Laith at Meydan on his previous start in Group 2 company just a week ago.
However, he stepped up in style at the Capital venue, moving sweetly throughout much of the 2200m feature before putting the race to bed when given the office by his rider.
Bahwan kept on gamely to take the silver medal a length adrift for rider Saif Al Balushi and trainer Saeed Al Shamsi, while Ajrad Athbah was third (Bernardo Pinheiro/Majed Al Jahoori).
“He travelled around there lovely, and the only slight concern was the step back up in trip,” said Beasley.
“However, I had a lovely run up the rail which probably saved me a few lengths and won me the race to be honest.
“We had a nice clean run through, and I could put his turn of foot to good use. He was obviously backing up quickly enough after his run at Meydan, but he was impressive again today and has had a really good season.
“It’s all systems go for the Dubai World Cup meeting now and we’ll keep our head down and keep kicking until then.”
CHAVEZ CAPITALISES
There was drama in the opening race when RB Bestevah shifted violently left when hitting the front under Adrie De Vries, hampering and unseating Charlie Bennett from Al Barq to hand victory to the Oscar Chavez-ridden HM Jazi for trainer Ahmed Al Mehairbi.
Panamanian rider Chavez can do little wrong at present, and he was certainly the chief beneficiary with Al Barq taken out of the race and the wayward RB Bestevah hanging his chance away; his mount prevailing by a length with Munir (Bernardo Pinheiro/Majed Al Jahoori) back in third, three-quarters of a length in arrears.
Thankfully, Bennett was unharmed by the incident and gained a measure of compensation in race four, when booting Unlimited to a tenacious success in the 0-85 mares and fillies handicap for trainer Jaber Bittar.
Benett’s partner found plenty off the bridle to see off Shurooq Al Wathba who was another on the card to run well for jockey/trainer combination Bernardo Pinheiro and Majed Al Jahoori.
“I thought I had a couple of good chances today, but obviously things didn’t quite go to plan in the first race!” quipped Bennett.
“I knew this filly would run well as she won well here the other and her stable has her in great order now.
“She coped with the drop back in trip well and my filly is better over a bit further, so she was a bit flat out all the way. But I knew if I kept at her she would keep finding and that was the case, she did it well in the end.”
MAGNIFICENT MALIN
Swedish rider Malin Holmberg lost her whip but kept her head to cajole AF Rasam to the front in the dying strides of race three to land the 0-85 handicap at the expense of AF Ghayyar (Charlie Bennett).
The head success ensured a 1-2 for trainer Erns Oertel and owner Khalida Khalifa Al Nabooda and was Holmberg’s third winner in the UAE.
“I didn’t need the whip in the end and thankfully my horse really wanted to win and beat our rival so I’m grateful he tried so hard,” said a delighted Holmberg.
A swift return to the track and a drop to 1400m saw the Julio Olascoaga trainee Eye On The Prize and Jose Da Silva capture the 0-80 Thoroughbred handicap in the colours of HKK Racing.
“I thought he was very impressive, he’s a totally different horse on turf and he dominated the race nicely,” said Olascoaga who witnessed his four-year-old sweep past Ra’s Al Hadd (Sandro Paiva/Ibrahim Al Hadhrami) in the straight to score by a snug length, with Chef De Partie another length-and-a-half in arrears in third (Richard Mullen/Mohammed Mardood).
Allaia Tiar partnered his fifth winner of the season when steering AF Yeheeb to a hard-fought success in the 0-70 PA 1600m handicap for trainer Khalifa Al Neyadi, while the Doug Watson trainee, Winds Of Fortune, gained compensation for a narrow defeat at the Capital venue last month by blowing away his rivals in the 2200m 0-75 handicap under Pat Dobbs.
