Dubai: Jungle Cat and Muhaarar, two promising juveniles with Dubai connections, look to have strong claims in Saturday’s Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes, the final day’s highlight of York’s Ebor Festival.
Jungle Cat will run in the colours of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, while Muhaarar represents Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.
Both colts have the form and ability to challenge the favourite and Royal Ascot hero Baitha Alga and his stable companion Beacon, who followed up a hat-trick of wins by finishing third in the Molecomb Stakes at Glorious Goodwood earlier this month.
Baitha Alga will have to concede weight to his 10 rivals as a result of his victory in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at the Royal meeting.
Before that, the Richard Hannon-trained juvenile won a Chester maiden and the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom.
Other notable contestants include the unbeaten Irish-trained colt Accepted, who is joined by the Aidan O’Brien-trained The Great War, a winner of his first two starts.
Bryan Smart’s Fendale, Karl Burke’s Glenalmond and Teruntum Star representing Kevin Ryan also look good value, while the Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained Ahlan Emarati represent Dubai businessman Ahmad Al Shaikh.
Roger Varian’s Farraaj looks for a third straight success of the season when he lines up to contest the Group 3 Strensall Stakes, the opening race on the card.
A five-year-old son of Dubai Destination Farraaj runs in the colours of Shaikh Ahmad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Chief of Dubai Police and Public Security.
