Tadhg O’Shea opts for ride on AF Maqayes in Group 3 Al Ruwais Sprint at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club

Af Maqayes ridden by Tadhg O'Shea wins the Wathba Stud Farm Cup Championship at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club in March 2016. Courtesy: Morhaf Al Assaf

ABU DHABI // Tadhg O’Shea’s loyalties will be divided as he bids to win Sunday night’s featured prize — the Group 3 Al Ruwais Sprint — at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.

The four-time UAE champion jockey has opted to pass on the Eric Lemartinel-trained RB Torch — on whom he won two weeks ago at the capital’s track — to partner AF Maqayes for his Grandstand Stables trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

AF Maqayes is one of the favourites in the seven-runner field as he returns to a distance in which he has had the most success in his 13 career starts. Three of his six victories have been achieved over the 1,000-metre trip.

The five-year-old bay has already run four times this season from distances ranging from 1,400m to 1,800m, but a return to the sprint distance and to the turf provides him the best chance to claim his first win for the season.

AF Maqayes ran a creditable second behind Shafeh at the capital’s track on his first bow for the season and thereafter has run on the Meydan dirt, including the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1, in his last start.

“He’s not run badly this season against some quality runners but the 1,000m suits him best,” Al Raihe said. “We don’t have much races over this trip, and hence, had to try him over the longer distances. He’s in good shape going into this race and we are hopeful.

“Tadhg has ridden on most occasions and in his workouts, and he knows the horse pretty well.”

The Al Asayl Stable jockey Gerald Avranche reunites with RB Torch, third in this race 12 months ago, and will be one of the main challengers along with RB So Rich (fourth in this race last year).

The six-year-old RB Torch finally picked up his first win of the season after five attempts in Abu Dhabi last month, finishing ahead of Ain Jaloot over 1,200m in the Al Taweelah on January 15.

The Listed Arabian Triple Crown Round 1 for four-year-old Purebred Arabians sees Maisoor return across the border from Oman.

The grey son of Burning Sand is undefeated in seven starts, including the Abu Dhabi Championship over the course and distance, on his second last start on December 18.

The Omani raider had many of the entries in tonight’s race behind him on that occasion, including the runner up AF Al Sajanjle, the mount of Richard Mullen and of the three trained by Ernst Oertel in the 11-runner field.

Lemartinel has also five entered with O’Shea booked on Bainoona, a chestnut filly by Mahabb. She improved on her racecourse debut second to win her second start, both on the all-weather surface in Al Ain.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport