Action from one of the races action on the first day of the new season in Abu Dhabi. File

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The only Thoroughbred contest on the six-race card, a 1600m rated conditions stakes which has attracted the maximum field allowed of 14, will be highlight of the meeting in the capital on Sunday.

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum will be represented by Ali Rashid Al Rayhi-trained Tamool, which will be ridden trainer’s stable jockey Connor Beasley on this occasion.

After winning both the track’s Listed races last season, the 1600m National Day Cup before following it up over 200m shorter distance in High Highness The President Cup, the 6-year-old gelded son of Helmet seems to save his best for Abu Dhabi.

He was closely chased by stable mate Yaalail, also owned by Sheikh Hamdan, whne landing the glory at 1400m The President Cup in February.

The mount of Sandro Paiva, the 5-year-old Intello gelding also won twice in Europe, in his case France for John Hammond and has added to that with a handicap victory over 1400m at Abu Dhabi.
Rayhi said: "Both horses are in good form and run well at Abu Dhabi. This is a good start point for them early in the season.”

Zaman is the horse sharing top weight with Taamol on what will be his first start for Ahmad bin Harmash having formerly represented Charlie Appleby and Godolphin, winning thrice.

His biggest success for previous connections was his most recent and only local one, a smooth victory in the 2018 Listed Meydan Classic over 1600m on the Meydan turf. Fernando Jara rides.

Seeking a first winner of the new season, Bin Harmash also saddles Carrington and Bleu Marine, the mounts of Sam Hitchcott and Hugo Lebouc respectively.

From a trio of Satish Seemar runners, Richard Mullen has opted to ride Riflescope who has the benefit of a run under his belt this season, a staying on second over 1400m up the hill on the refurbished Jebel Ali dirt surface.

The best of his three previous attempts at 1600m was arguably when sixth to Taamol in last year’s National Day Cup. The distance over which he posted his most recent success was 1200m, on the straight Meydan turf course in February 2019.

That leaves Tadhg O’Shea to partner stablemate Ode To Autumn, who has a low weight to enhance his hopes, with Antonio Fresu picking up the spare ride on Seemar’s third runner, Medahim.

Another former Godolphin runner with a Listed victory to his name, Zorion is making his debut for Helal Al Alawi and, like Zaman, was previously in the care of Charlie Appleby.

However, Appleby took over care of the homebred 6-year-old Smart Strike gelding from Jim Bolger who saddled him to both career victories, most notably the 1600m Listed Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown in the trainer’s native Ireland. That was in June 2018 and he has not won since, but was second for Appleby in a 2000m Meydan handicap at the 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival.

He only ran twice subsequently, most recently in January at this year’s carnival.

Salem Bin Ghadayer and Royston Ffrench have made strong starts to the season and combine with Mailshot, like Taamool a course and distance winner having won a handicap last October. He was fourth last Thursday in a 2000m handicap on the Meydan dirt, a pleasing enough effort because that is a surface on which he has never really flourished.

Owned and trained by Ismail Mohammed, Wasim actually beat Zaman in the 1400m turf Meydan Classic Trial in 2018, but was a non-runner in the big race itself. A 5-year-old Acclamation entire, he normally goes well on the Abu Dhabi track, including a close second in the 2019 High Highness The President Cup. However, his three most recent appearances in the capital have seen him finish third in a 1400m handicap behind Yaalail, sandwiched by a fifth and fourth in the National Day Cup and His Highness The President Cup, as mentioned, both won by Taamol.