21.03.2021

AL MAKTOUM CHALLENGE ROUND 3: BRRAQ LOOMS AS A SERIOUS KAHAYLA CLASSIC CANDIDATE

MEYDAN (UAE), FEBRUARY 25^th, 2021

Gr1 PA - 5-year-olds and up - 2,000m (10f) - $65,000

The winner of Round 1 of the Al Maktoum Challenge, Brraq (Mahabb) had only found RB Frynchh Dude (Baseq Al Khalediah) too good for him in Round 2. Capitalising on the latter's absence, he resumed winning ways in Round 3 (Gr1 PA). Consequently, Brraq has established himself as a serious contender for the forthcoming Dubai Kahayla Classic (Gr1 PA) at the same track. His final time of 2'13''58 also enabled him to shatter the course record (for PA horses) previously held by Tallaab Al Khalediah (Jallod Alkhalidiah), with the old mark (2'13''69) set in the wake of the latter’s Dubai Kahayla Classic success. Brraq carries the colours of Yas Horse Racing colours which we associate with His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He also provided trainer Jean-Claude Pécout with a second Gr1 PA success, and the latter has trained two winners this year with both coming in Gr1 PA races. It is also marked a first Gr1 PA win for the jockey, Frenchman Ryan Curatolo.

THE AUTHOR OF A DECISIVE MOVE         

RB Torch (TH Richie) was the fastest away the stalls despite from his wide draw, with Al Roba'a Al Khali (Za'eem Asf) giving chase and flanking him on his outside. Meanwhile, Brraq, having exited from stall nine (out of ten), was forced to pursue a wide, three deep trajectory. Halfway down the backstretch, he tracked towards the inside – behind the lead horses. On the final turn, a gap opened up on the inside and Ryan Curatolo wasted no time in dashing Brraq through it prior to the combination unleashing a decisive burst. In fact the combination was never to be headed. Al Roba'A Al Khali was beaten a length and a half into second on his first attempt at this level. Af Alwajel (Af al Buraq) was a further three and a half lengths away in third. Ryan Curatolo said: "It's easier to ride a waiting race at Meydan, given the nature of the track – even when you're having a wide trip. I'm not sure that we would have won the race had we continued to remain in limbo, and when the opportunity to challenge along the rails arose, I didn’t hesitate to go through the gap. The horse impressed me today, especially as he isn’t an easy ride. As he also tends to hang towards the outside. I asked him to change leads, and the horse was able to ease his way home after being switched to the rails."

To see a replay of the race use the following link: https://youtu.be/U3kOxS7m4lI 

A FIRST GR1 PA WIN FOR RYAN CURATOLO

Ryan Curatolo had in fact already ridden a Gr1 winner elsewhere after taking the Qatar Derby in 2018. On this particular Thursday card, he in fact rode his first Gr1 PA winner, which was his first victory at this level in the United Arab Emirates for the French rider who added: "It’s fantastic! That was my aim on coming here. I wish to thank my boss, Nicholas Bachalard, for whom I’m the first choice rider here, as well as all those trainers which have had confidence in me such as Jean-Claude Pécout. This win isn’t just down to me as it reflects the work of the whole team. After this it’s up to me to get the job done."

HAILING FROM A PRESTIGIOUS SHEIKH MANSOOR LINE

Brraq is a son of Mahabb (Tahar de Candelon) and is a pure product of Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s breeding operation. To date he is the best offering of his dam Fattana (Njewman), and herself a half-sister to the stallion Shadiyda (Al Sakbe). The latter’s eight wins included the Emirates Championship (Gr1 PA), plus Thakif (Mahabb) the winner of the National Day Cup, the President Cup and Al Maktoum Challenge R1; and the Al Maktoum Challenge R3 (Grs1 PA) winning Raaziq (Munjiz). Brraq’s grandam Sheena (Djelfor) was a full sister to the much heralded sire Akbar. This is the line of Fantasia (Gosse du Béarn), one of the French PA foundation mares. 

 MEYDAN (UAE), FEBRUARY 25^th

AL MAKTOUM CHALLENGE R3
Gr1 PA - 5-year-olds and up - 2,000m - $65,000

1^st        BRRAQ (57) H8
            (Mahabb & Fattana, by Njewman)
            Owner: Yas Racing Management

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

Trainer: J.-C. Pecout

Jockey: R. Curatolo

2^nd       AL ROBA'A AL KHALI OMN (57) H5

            (Za'eem Asf & Salia de Ducor, by Akbar)

            Owner: H. Al Balushi

Breeder: H. Al Balushi

            Trainer: Y. Al Kalbani

Jockey: A. Al Balushi

3^rd       AF ALWAJEL (57) H6

            (Af Al Buraq & Samira de Carrère, by Djouras Tu)

            Owner: K.K. Al Nabooda

Breeder: K.K. Al Nabooda

            Trainer: E. Oertel

Jockey: T. O'Shea

Other runner(s) in finishing order: Rb Torch, Akmal, Rb Texas Hold Em, Bandar, Aoun, Af Momtaz & Mouadjiz.

All ran (10).

2'13"58. Distances: 1 1/2 - 3 1/2 - 8 1/2.