Royal Ascot, England // Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid's Mukhadram faces a stiff challenge when he lines up against Treve during the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday afternoon.
Mukhadram defied convention on behalf of trainer William Haggas when he finished second in the Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse on his first run on Tapeta in March.
Mukhadram, the choice of jockey Paul Hanagan, is joined in the 2,000-metre event by Elkaayed, also owned by the Minister of Finance, and trained by Roger Varian.
Mukhadram was second to Al Kazeem in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes 12 months ago, and Angus Gold said his charge deserves another shot.
“He only just got beaten by the best older mile-and-a-quarter horse around, and we think he should have another go,” said Gold, Sheikh Hamdan’s racing manager.
“If Treve is back to her best, it will probably be an impossible task, but we are not going to know until we get there.”
Treve won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris in October but was beaten on her seasonal debut by Cirrus Des Aigles.
With Ascot bathed in sun for much of yesterday, Treve will race on good-to-firm going for the first time in her career, but jockey Frankie Dettori was unconcerned after his victory aboard The Wow Signal in the Coventry Stakes.
“[Treve] won the Prix de Diane on similar ground last year and beat the track record by two seconds. The ground is not an issue,” Dettori said.
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
