Cup looks the main target for classy Quaolina

ABU DHABI // Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed's Quaolina was the impressive winner of the Group 1 Liwa Oasis, the seven-furlong feature race on Sunday evening. Partnered by the jockey Richard Hills, she was opening her UAE account to add to her Group 1 win in the UK last summer, and Hills clearly rates the mare highly. "Her UK win was a good one and we were very pleased with her when second on her local debut. Conditions have suited her tonight and she will be a nice one for next season."

Her trainer Doug Watson added: "We would have to look at the National Day Cup with her next season as she will stay a mile." Watson was completing a double having earlier won the fillies and mares' 11-furlong maiden with Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan's Razin under Fernando Jara. Watson added: "It is the first season we have trained for Sheikh Mansoor so it is great to get a winner for him." Al Asayl-based Rod Simpson has enjoyed a remarkable first season in his new post and saddled Mujtahid to score an emphatic victory in the Emirates Colts' Classic.

Daragh O'Donohoe was in the saddle and Simpson said: "He is a nice young colt and one of several promising horses we have in the yard. We have been very lucky this year and are grateful to everyone at Al Asayl for the chance." O'Donohoe added: "I rode this horse first time and thought he would be a nice horse but that was surprisingly easy." There were two other 11-furlong maidens on the card with Ahmad Ajtebi and Mohammed Ramadan winning one with Mountain Fresh and Jesus Rosales and Jaber Bittar the other with Rs Inaam. That was a double for the trainer Bittar who had earlier won a 12-furlong handicap with Sami Lotois under David Badel, while Gearld Avranche and Eric Lemartinel won the seven-furlong handicap with Nabila.