Jean de Roualle provided a training masterclass to bring Somoud from three disappointing runs to win the President’s Cup for Purebred Arabians at Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Adrie de Vries settled the eight-year-old son of Munjiz in middle of the field before producing a well-timed run to clinch the Dh2.5million Group 1 prize for the second time in 12 months.
“He disappointed us in three starts this season and we were a bit puzzled because he worked well in the mornings,” De Roualle said.
“Perhaps, he got a bit lazy. Probably we were too nice to him. He ran disappointingly in the prep race. We took him back and had him on the track the very next day.
“When a horse has run not to his potential in three starts, he keeps us wondering. I put the blinkers on him again, and I was expecting a good run but I cannot say we were 100 per cent confident, even though I knew the horse was ready.”
De Vries rode Somoud in two of his last three starts and the Dutchman this time made smooth progress from the 500m mark and then led from 150m and held on well to win from Ashton Tourettes and Mujeeb by a neck and three quarter length respectively.
“We [with De Vries] have worked as a team and tonight we got the result we wanted,” De Roualle added.
“We discussed the issues after every race and we worked towards the common goal of this success.”
Somoud will now bid for a hat-trick of Group 1 Emirates Championship over track and trip on March 20.
The Listed President’s Cup for thoroughbreds was won by newcomer Haqeeqy under Dane O’Neill in the silks of Shadwell, providing new trainer John Hyde his first winner in the UAE.
Omani apprentice Saif Al Balushi got Yas Xmnsor in the last few strides to clinch the Emirates Colts Classic in a thriller from AF Ghayyar, ES Sudani and ES Lattam by head, short head and neck in a four-horse finish.
George Buckell raced on the inside rail and had AF Ghayyar in front but he just couldn’t hold on to that lead as Al Balushi flashed first past the wining post with Antonio Fresu on the fast-finishing ES Sudani taking third.
It was the Omani rider’s third ride in five starts on the Big Easy colt, having finished runner up and third on two earlier occasions.
“He ran two good races when I rode him and won his last start, so we were very hopeful,” Al Balushi said.
“He travelled well and had enough left in the tank towards the end to take me first over the line. He’s a young horse with a lot of potential, and hopefully win another race or two before the end of the season.”
Jean-Claude Picout’s Ghallieah overcame the widest draw in gate 15 to take the Emirates Fillies Classic to stretch her record to two from two.
Sebastien Martino settled the Mahabb filly in the middle of the closely grouped early pacemakers and produced with a late challenge to win from Nawart Baynounah and Shoaa.
Fernando Jara atop Mohamed Daggash’s Reem Baynounah took the opening prize and Tadhg O’Shea steered Ernst Oertel’s AF Afham to victory half hour later to regain the lead over Antonio Fresu in the UAE jockey’s title race.
