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All eyes on Raqiyah

Raqiyah, winner of the President of the UAE Cup – Coupe d’Europe des Chevaux Arabes (Gr-1) for Purebred Arabians, will lock horns against Al Charif..

, winner of the Qatar French Arabian Breeder’s Challenge, as the fifth leg of the President of the UAE Cup (UK Arabian Derby Gr-1 PA) gets under way at the Ascot Racecourse on Saturday.

Eleven top Arabian horses have been entered for the 2000m race to clash for the GBP 50,000 prize-money at the Royal venue.

The race is sponsored by the Emirates Equestrian Federation and will be run as part of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes day at Ascot Racecourse.

In addition to the Arabian meeting, the day will also feature the Princess Margaret Abu Dhabi Stakes (Group-3), sponsored by Etihad Airways, for two-year-old fillies.

Top lady jockey Hayley Turner reunites with Margot Did to lead the market in the six-furlong contest which attracteda quality field of 12 runners going to post. The Exceed And Excel Australian-bred filly won two of her three starts before going down by a head to Memory over distance and course in the Albany Stakes Group-3 during the Royal Festival last June.

Ridden by regular partner Hayley Turner in all her starts, Margot Did won at Newbury and Yarmouth on debut and seasonal reappearance respectively.

“Margot Did is in fantastic form ahead of her run at Ascot on Saturday and she worked nicely,” said trainer Michael Bell.

“She’s training well as she bids for her first Pattern success in Saturday’s Group-3 Princess Margaret Abu Dhabi Stakes at Ascot,” he added.

Margot Did will face 11 rivals in the Princess Margaret including the unbeaten trio of Al Madina, Catfish and Perfect Tribute. Aidan O’Brien relies on Queen Of Spain, winner of the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Fillies Maiden at Naas Racecourse, S. Ireland last time out with Colm O’Donoghue in the saddle.

Leading jockey Ryan Moore who picked up a two day ban for careless riding on Thursday will be looking forward to land his fourth straight Group-1 success aboard Workforce in the seven-horse line-up King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Group-1.

Moore partnered Workforce to glory in the Epsom Derby Group-1 last month before he completed a Group-1 double aboard Snow Fairy in the Epsom Oaks Group-1. Last weekend, Ryan claimed the Darley Irish Oaks (Group 1) to complete a double Classic for the fillyat The Curragh with Snow Fairy.

But Workforce will face the challenge of stable-companion Harbringer for which trainer Michael Stoute has secured the services of the French jockey Olivier Peslier. “He has a genuine chance to strike,” the Frenchman said. “Ascot is one of the best tracks in the world and it’s great to be riding there with a genuine chance of winning the King George,” he added.

“He seems a better horse this year, I rode him on Saturday morning and he gave me a great feel. He’s a horse you can go anywhere with in the race and I’m looking forward to the ride,” he said.

Jaber Abdullah’s Youmzain has been the best backed horse in the King George market this week and Peslier sees the seven-year-old as a live danger at Ascot.

Peslier said: “I think Youmzain would be the best horse to take out of the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. It was not a very fast pace and that helped my horse (Plumania). Youmzain did very well to finish second.”

“Daryakana was also very unlucky in that race and finished very well, but Youmzain could be the better horse.”

On Workforcer, Peslier commented: “He’s a very nice horse who won very well at Epsom. The King George is a very good race and it takes a very good horse to win it.”

Al Muhairi optimistic

According to Taleb Al Muhairi, secretary general of the Emirates Equestrian Federation, the federatin ishopeful to see the Arabian horses racing along with the Thoroughbreds in the European tracks very soon.

“Impossible is nothing and after 16 years, we are very optimistic that our move will pay dividends. I understand that we have a long way to go, but considering the steady progress of our campaign, I can say we have come very close to our target,” he said.

Al Muhairi thanked Shaikh Dr. Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Emirates Equestrian Federation for his strong support and backing for the series without which nothing would have been achieved.

“We are racing at the famous racecourse of Ascot for the second consecutive year on the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, one of the most important events in the British racing season.

“I would like to thank the Government of Abu Dhabi which is backing all our European campaign to promote the Arabian horse and the emirate of Abu Dhabi as well. It’s also a great honour to see the Abu Dhabi Identity Bureau, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and Etihad Airways besides us to promote our heritage and culture which underlines the crucial role played by the national companies and authorities to develop the equestrian sport,” he concluded.