By Duane Fonseca In keeping with the age-old maxim ‘save the best for last’, Sharjah Longines Racecourse have saved one of their key annual races for their last meeting of the season. As a result the HH The Ruler of Sharjah Cup, a Prestige contest for four-and-five-year-old UAE bred horses, is the one that stands out on the final six-race card to be hosted at this Northern Emirate venue on Sunday. The 1700m weight for age run has roped in some tough divisional names, including Majed Al Jahoori trainee Bassam Al Wathba, who is top-rated in this field of 11 at 97.
A weight penalty applies for five-year-olds, with Bassam Al Wathba (Abdul Aziz Al Balushi) and numerous others obliged to carry the maximum 59kgs. An Areem entire owned by the powerful Al Wathba Racing operation, one of four in the race for the Abu Dhabi outfit, Al Jahoori’s trainee was last seen finishing fifth in The GCC Cup presented by Longines over course and distance (C&D) on January 24 when trying to follow up on his victory in The Crown Prince of Sharjah Cup Prestige over the sprint 1200m strip in November.
A relative fresher, his stable companion, Basem Al Wathba is yet to build on his sevenplus length success in a 1400m maiden event at Jebel Ali on what was his second career start in January. The five-year-old Mijdadd entire has previous racecourse experience to boost his claims however, having debuted over C&D with a fourth. The pair will be joined in the starting gates by Eric Lemartinel trained teammates Zaidan Al Wathba and Sadiq Al Wathba.
The former is second-highest rated in the field and another Areem entire whose only success to date has been in an 1800m maiden at Al Ain, with his two previous C&D attempts at Sharjah yielding a third at best and a seventh in the aforementioned GCC Cup.
JA PALACE LOOK TO RULE
Irfan Ellahi saddles JAP Mehna (Royston Ffrench), who has been largely inconsistent since shedding his maiden tag first up this season after five tries last term, and JAP Awqat, a near seven length winner of a 1200m maiden here in November. Form gained when collared late by Mubeed in the 1800m Al Ain Derby, however, should hold here, with Ellahi’s ward likely to relish the upping in trip. Ernst Oertel who has found winning form recently saddles AF Alfahem, who runs for the first time in nearly a year, with teammate AF Alarqaa joining him in the stalls fresh from his victory in a 1600m maiden at Abu Dhabi in February. Ibrahim Al Hadhrami’s Barghash (Connor Beasley) picked up a first career win in a 1200m maiden here, with the Omani handler hoping for him to now shed his inconsistent form. Ahmed Al Mehairbi’s Caesar Hawran (Oscar Chavez) is another interesting prospect. Having improved his rating when denying a fairly good field in a 0-80 handicap over 1800m at Al Ain on his last start, a previous second where he was beaten by a head over a longer 2000m trip at the same venue further suggests he could repay his backers. Magic Touch (Pat Cosgrave), trained by Abdalla Al Hammadi for Al Ajban Stables, seems of most interest among the younger contingent for his 1400m maiden success at Al Ain after numerous close calls.
GAME TIME IN MARATHON
Having won at Meydan over 1600m and then upped in trip incrementally twice thereafter, Game Time (Sandro Paiva), third in a 2200m at Abu Dhabi has been assigned the 2700m Sharjah Marathon, a 0-85 handicap, where he will face the likes of the Dennis O’Brien pair of Taajer (Richard Mullen), a two time winner here over the shorter 1700m and 2000m trips, and Makhtar (Jose Santiago), last of seven in this in 2023, but a first up champ over 2000m on the surface in December.
South African Oertel aims a three-pronged attack with AF Estatha (O’Shea), AF Mukhrej (Beasley) and No And No Al Maury (Marcelino Rodrigues) all carrying the colours of defending champion owner Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda, while Abdallah Al Hammadi’s Ozone Layer might be among the top prospects in this, for his gritty third by a neck in an 1800m affair at a similar level over the testing Jebel Ali surface, would have set him up nicely for this. The only Thoroughbred offering is a 0-75 handicap over 2000m, where Musabbeh Al Mheiri’s Waqet might be one to have onside for the company he’s been seen in recently and for his front running victory in an 1800m maiden at Jebel Ali in January.
Ahmad bin Harmash’s Dubai Vision, winner of a C&D handicap here nearly a year ago, and third first up this season over a shorter 1700m trip looks potent too. Green Jacket, is one of three being saddled by Bhupat Seemar. The five-year-old Curlin entire might be unplaced in five starts this term, but has an 1800m maiden win over Jebel Ali flagbearer Alhzeem, which looks really good if you’re feeling lucky. Also on the agenda are a 1200m maiden for UAE bred runners, and two handicaps 0-70 over 1000m and a 0-65 affair over 2000m.
