Inaugurated as recently as 2019, the GCC Cup, a 1700m prestige conditions race, is the undoubted highlight of Saturday’s card at Sharjah Longines Racecourse and has attracted a competitive capacity field of 16, arguably headed by Saudi Arabia’s Shareq Al Khalediah.

Restricted to horses foaled in the GCC, the inaugural running went to Saudi Arabia when Mubasher Al Khalediah landed the spoils with Shareq Al Khalediah not beaten far in fourth having held every chance entering the short straight.

The 9-year-old entire has only raced four times since, winning twice, including his most recent outing over 1600m in late November. He will be a first UAE runner for trainer Roberto Ocampo who has secured the services of Antonio Fresu for the Athbah Racing-owned horse.

On official ratings, at least, he is the one to beat with MH Rahal seemingly heading the local challenge for Elise Jeanne with Ryan Curatolo, back from suspension, booked to ride. Homebred by Mansoor Khalifa Sultan Bin Habtoor, the 7-year-old entire only has two wins from 29 starts to his name but has run plenty of good races in defeat in far better races than this.

He won his maiden at Sharjah, over 1200m, back in November 2017 and has twice found subsequent 2019 Group 1 Dubai Kahayla Classic winner AF Maher too good over Saturday’s 1700m course and distance. This will be his fourth outing of the current campaign and, at least on paper, by far his easiest.

Jeanne, awaiting her first winner of the season after 21 previous efforts, said: “We have freshened him up after his last run three weeks ago and he looks really good. Being locally bred he does not get many opportunities against this type of opposition, so this race looks ideal for him. He is probably a Group Three horse and there are very few such opportunities for him.

“The top horses always seem to end up dropping into the few Group Three contests, so this is a nice opportunity, and we were keen to get him back to Sharjah. Drawn 14 is not ideal, but he normally breaks well, and we know he likes Sharjah which is a big plus because it is a tricky little course which suits certain horses. He really deserves to win again. Hopefully, that will be on Saturday!”

For Al Wathba Racing, Majed Al Jahoori saddles both Saarookh and Shawall, the booking of Fernando Jara suggesting the latter is the better fancied. The connections also have the reserve, Margaza, who would merit consideration should she make the final field.

AF Momtaz, trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, won this last year for Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda who has two runners this time, both in the care of his main trainer Ernst Oertel. The owner’s retained rider, UAE Champion Jockey Tadhg O’Shea, opts to ride AF Kal Noor, having just a seventh career start. His two wins include the Ruler Of Sharjah, over this Sharjah 1700m, last February.

The homebred 6-year-old entire is unbeaten on dirt having also won a 1400m Jebel Ali maiden on his third career start. After two outings on the Abu Dhabi turf this season, he should be cherry ripe for this assignment.

Stable companion AF Motaghatres and O’Shea were second in this race last year and looks a plum spare ride for Richard Mullen.