• Home
• /
• Horse Racing

Aberfeldy stuns favourite

DUBAI - Aberfeldy came from nowhere under Royston Ffrench to beat clear cut favourites Dariya, Ted Durcan up, in a strong finish to land the 1400m Purebred Arabians Liwa Oasis Group-1 in the penultimate meeting of the season at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Sunday.

The eight-year-old daughter of Amer broke well and led in the home straight to win impressively.

Royston Ffrench didn’t look behind and the decent mare responded honestly in the crucial stages of the trip.

“She’s in great form. My horse broke well and raced keenly. I think she deserves to win a Group-1 event,” a delighted jockey said later.

Iguazu Falls, ridden by Xavier Ziani, won the 1600m Thoroughbreds Jebel Dhana Handicap, only Thoroughbreds event and final race of the night for trainer Mubarak bin Shafya.

Meanwhile, top English Jockey Richard Hills completed a hat-trick after riding three winners in a row.

Tenor Des Vialettes made all in the hands and heels of the Englishman to win the Purebred Arabians Triple Crown Final Round (Group-3) in a great style for trainer Musabah Al Muhairi.

The race has attracted a small field of five runners going to post.

Tenor Des Vialettes broke well and showed the way right from the onset and held on very strongly under pressure when challenged by the mount of Kieren Fallon, Frynchman in the concluding stages of the race.

Early in the evening, the Hills powered Quite A Show home to land the opening race of the night, a Purebred Arabians Handicap contested over 1400 metres.

In the second race, a 2200m Purebred Arabians Maiden, Richard Hills rode UAE debutant Versac PY to an exciting dead heat finish with Borkan Al Zobair under Tadhg O’Shea. Omayyade Thabet lived up to his name under apprentice jockey Harry Bentley to win the 1600m Purebred Arabians Conditions Wathba Stud Farm Cup (Private Owners Only) fourth race on the card.

hisham@khaleejtimes.com

Results

RACE ONE

5pm Purebred Arabians Handicap. Al Samha Maiden Race. 1400m (a 7f) sponsored by Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club. Purse: Dh60,000: 1. Quite A Show (Doug Watson) Richard Hills 2. Das Jalabi (Bakhit Al Ketbi) Gary Hind 3. AF Amthaal (Bakhit Al Ketbi) Harry Bentley.

Time: 1.29.95. Margins: NK/ 0.25L.

RACE TWO

5.30pm Purebred Arabians Maiden. Sweihan Handicap. 2200m (a 11f) sponsored by Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club. Purse: Dh35,000: 1. Borkan Al Zobair (Jaci Wickham) Tadhg O’Shea 2. Versac PY (Erwan Charpy) Richard Hills 3. Kalid’Or (Ridha ben Attia) Saber Trabelsi.

Time: 2.33.30. Margins: DH/ 1.25L.

RACE THREE

6pm Purebred Arabians Group-3. Arabian Triple Crown Final Round. 2400m (a 12f) sponsored by Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club. Purse: Dh200,000: 1. Tenor Des Vialttes (Musabah Al Muhairi) Richard Hills 2. Frynchman (Philippe Barbe) Kieren Fallon 3. Timadit Al Mels (Ridha ben Attia) Royston Ffrench.

Time: 2.44.30. Margins: NK/ .75L.

RACE FOUR

6.30pm Purebred Arabians Conditions. Wathba Stud Farm Cup (Private Owners Only). 1600m (a 8f) sponsored by Wathba Stud Farm. Purse: Dh40,000: 1. Omayyade Thabet (Ahmed Al Shamsi) Harry Bentley 2. Sarabella (Anthony Manuel) Patrick Dobbs 3. Ameer Al Sraya (Bakhit Al ketbi) Gary Hind. Time: 1.44.81. Margins: 0.5L/ 2L.

RACE FIVE

7pm Purebred Arabians Group-1. Liwa Oasis. 1400m (a 7f) sponsored by Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club. Purse: Dh250,000: 1. Aberfeldy (Julio Peromingo) Royston Ffrench 2. Dariya (Saifaldin Deeb) Ted Durcan 3. Haneen (Gillian Duffield) Richard Hills.

Time: 1.30.88. Margins: 1.25L/ 2.50L.

RACE SIX

7.30pm Thoroughbreds Handicap Jebel Dana. 1600m (a 8f) sponsored by Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club. Purse: Dh80,000: 1. Iguazu Falls (Mubarak bin Shaya) Xavier Ziani 2. Hello Morning (Erwan Charpy) William Supple 3. DR Smart (Musabah Al Muhairi) Kieren Fallon.

Time: 1.33.69. Margins: 1.5L/ SHD.