Dubai: The Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge beckons for Wathba Stallions-bred Shateh following his imperious, record-breaking victory in the Group 2 Bani Yas present by Longines Passion at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday night.
Trained by Majed Al Jahouri, who famously won all eight Group 1 races for Purebred Arabians during the 2012-2013 racing season, the seven-year-old son of Mahabb led from start to finish in the capable hands of Pat Dobbs to comfortably hold off stable companion and favourite, Af Mathmoon, by 5 ¾ lengths in a clear demonstration of superiority.
“We always felt that Shateh is a genuine Group 1 horse but we did not expect him to win as easily as he did tonight,” said Al Jahouri. “He’s only had three previous runs on the dirt finishing second on all occasions, including once behind Af Mathmoon in this race last year.
“But today he looked a much better horse as he seems to have matured now that he’s a seven-year-old. We thought he was more a sprinter, but the way he stayed on tonight probably means that he can stay further.
“Having won this in such fashion, the obvious thing would be to try the 1,600m of the Al Maktoum Challenge (January 5, 2017),” he added.
“I still believe that Af Mathmoon is a very special horse. Perhaps he will come on for this run and hopefully, he will progress and defend his title in the Dubai Kahayla Classic on Dubai World Cup night.
“It’s great to have saddled the first two home in this quality of race as it gives us more options heading into the big Group races for Arabians, which are in short supply.”
Shateh’s victory was a major boost for the Al Wathba Stables, the breeding operation of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
Defending champion trainer Doug Watson won three of the last six races on the card, highlighted by Desert Force’s thumping seven-length victory in the Longines Master Collection handicap.
As he had on Shateh, Dobbs secured the coveted rail position on Desert Force who made every stride count.
“He is a horse we have always really liked and ran well first time out,” said Watson. “We will have to see what the handicapper does but we will look for something, probably, in January.
“We hope he is a really nice horse going forward.”
The Longines Dolce Vita was a second 1,400m handicap and it too went to the Dobbs and Watson combination, this time courtesy of Mathematic before the duo rounded off a winning treble with the closing 2,000m Longines Elegance in Equestrian Handicap when his Tried and True, a graduate of the 2015 Emirates Racing Authority Horses in Training Sale, powered across the line under Sam Hitchcott.
Dutchman Adrie De Vries completed a double, riding Stormardal to a comfortable victory in the Longines Performance in Equestrian, a 1,600m handicap.
A course and distance winner a fortnight ago, he was winning a third consecutive race and fourth in five outings. Each one has been over the Meydan 1600m dirt track and trip.
“He loves it around here,” said De Vries. “They went quick which suited him and I was pretty confident from a long way out.
