26.04.2018

EMIRATES CHAMPIONSHIP - AL ZAHIR IMPRESSES WHEN WINNING HIS SECOND GROUP I PA

ABU DHABI (UAE), 17^th FEBRUARY 2018

Gr. I PA - 5 year olds and over - 2,200m - AED 1,000,000

Al Zahir (Madjani) made short work of the Emirates Championship (Gr. I PA), sweeping way the opposition despite his unfavourable draw (sixteen). One month after his win in the H.H. The President Cup (Gr. I PA) over the same course and distance of 2,200 meters, this colt, owned by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, gave a display of class at the final meeting of the season at Abu Dhabi racecourse.

To watch the race replay:

https://twitter.com/yassportsTV/status/975012003705163777

A CUT ABOVE

Smartly away, Al Zahir quickly found a good position in the middle of the racing pack, which was led by Hamza (Al Nasr). He began his run 600 meters out, and quickly pulled clear of the opposition, winning by just over five lengths. He finished in front of Thabit (Munjiz), a new recruit for the stable of Jean de Roüalle, who has previous success on French soil, whilst Abu Alabyad (Akbar) finished in third for the French trainer Éric Lemartinel. Last year’s winner of the race, Loraa (Mawood), finished in sixth.

THE BEST TURF HORSE… FOR THE MOMENT!

Al Zahir is decidedly the best horse on the turf in the United Arab Emirates, having won four of his five starts on this surface at Abu Dhabi, including two Group I PA races. Fourth in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (Gr. I PA) over 2,200 meters on the dirt at Meydan last February, he will have a genuine chance in the Dubai Kahayla Classic (Gr. I PA) at the end of the month.

THE BROTHER OF PETITE CLASS

Al Zahir was bred in France by Xavière Cauhapé. His sire Madjani (Tidjani) stands at Haras de Saint-Faust. Currently, his most successful offspring is Handassa (Madjani), a two time winner of the Al Maktoum Challenge Round III (Gr. I PA). Al Zahir is out of the unraced Petite Class (Barour de Cardonne), who is also the dam of Petitelaika (Robbie), third in the Shadwell-Prix Razzia III (Gr. III PA). The second dam, Hammdie Class (Dormane) is the dam of Royal Class (Kesberoy), winner of the Jumeirah Group International Stakes (Gr. II PA) at Newbury and the Arabian Triple Crown Round II (Gr. III PA) on this track at Abu Dhabi. This maternal bloodline goes back to Bergeronnette (Djouran), the grand-dam of the champion Dahor de Brugère (Dahess), unbeaten in four races at the age of three, including two Group I PA races.

ABU DHABI (UAE), 17^th February 2018

EMIRATES CHAMPIONSHIP

Gr. I PA - 5year olds and over - 2,200 m - AED 1,000,000

1^st      AL ZAHIR (57) H5

Madjani & Petite Class

Owner: Sheikh H. Bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Breeder: X. Cauhapé

Trainer: A. Rashid Al Rayhi

Jockey: J. Crowley

2^nd     THABIT (57) H6

Munjiz & Dahwa

Owner:  Yas Horse Racing Management

Breeder: H.H. Sheikh M. bin Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan

Trainer: J. de Roüalle

Jockey: A. de Vries

3^rd     ABU ALABYAD (57) H8

Akbar & Ortie

Owner:  Sheikh K. Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Breeder: Sheikh S. Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan

Trainer: E. Lemartinel

Jockey: T. O’Shea

Other runner(s) in finishing order: Sharaf Al Reef, Shaheer, Loraa, Bf Mughader, Bon Baiser de Faust, Sniper de Monlau, Abhaar, Cakouet de Bozouls, Rb Madymoiselle, Mahbooba, Faucon du Loup, Sauternes Al Maury & Hamza.

Ran (16) - Non Runner (s): Af Sanad, Babel d’Aillas & Najm Alemarat.

(Turf) - 2’24’’99 - Distances: 5 ^½ - ¾ - 1 ^¼ .