Newbury, England: Djet Taouy looks hard to topple as the France-bred star returns to defend his title in the Group 1 Shadwell Dubai International Stakes, the feature race of Newbury’s highly-anticipated Dubai International Races on Sunday.
So impressive was the Royal Cavalry of Oman-owned son of Dahees when he beat a strong field to win the £50,000 (Dh308,000) event 12 months ago, that only four of the 19 horses entered for this year’s renewal of the 2,000-metre event stood their ground at Tuesday’s final declaration stage.
Only Gillian Duffield’s Al Hibaab, the Julian Smart-trained Al Anga and stable companion Nerbah will take their chances against Djet Taouy in a bid to win one of the biggest prizes in Purebred Arabian racing.
Formerly trained by Diana Dorenberg, Djet Taouy has been in rousing form this season winning, twice including on his most recent start in the Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup at Newbury last Saturday.
New handler Jean-Francois Bernard has planned an ambitious programme for his stable star, kicking off with Sunday’s Shadwell Dubai International Stakes and culminating in the Arabian World Cup on Arc de Triomphe day at Longchamp in Paris.
“His main target for the season was always the big race at Longchamp on Arc day but as he has not had too many hard races we would like to aim him at races like the Shadwell Dubai International Stakes,” he said.
Djet Taouy, who only began his career two years ago, will once again be ridden by French rider David Michaux, who was on board during his most recent win at this course.
Djet Taouy won last season’s prestigious President Of The UAE Cup in July and winning trainer Jean-Francois Bernard did not rule out a defence of the Group 1 race before a tilt at the €700,000 (Dh3.5 million) Qatar Arabian World Cup at Longchamp in October, in which he was fourth last season to Mushrae, owned by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
“It’s a well-deserved victory and for the jockey on board who gave him every chance to show his best,” Bernard said.
“Djet Taouy recaptured his true form and reputation as a top-class racehorse. His obvious target is the World Cup on Arc day in October, but big races at Newbury, Deauville and Chantilly are also on the agenda.”
Gill Duffield trains Al Hibaab for Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, who launched the Dubai International Races two decades ago to promote and develop Purebred Arabian racing in the UK.
Newmarket-based Duffield has been training horses in the UK for Shaik Hamdan since 1987 and has saddled the winner of the prestigious event more than any other trainer.
Racing fans in the UAE will remember Duffield for her brilliant season in 1992 when she won two legs of the UAE Triple Crown and the UAE Arabian Derby with Eau Royal and the President Cup with Monsieur Al Maury. She also won the Emirates Championship with Juyish in that landmark year.
Sunday’s card will also see two other winners from last season’s Dubai International Races, Aden and Aljawaaher, who will contest different races to the ones they won on that occasion.
Qatari-trained Aden, winner of the Emirates Equestrian Federation International Stakes for Arabian handler Julian Smart, will contest the Jebel Ali International Stakes on Sunday, while Aljawaaher, won landed the NAIP Handicap Stakes in 2013, runs in the Rotana Hotels & Resorts Handicap Stakes.
