AABU DHABI // Thakif earned his ticket to the Kahayla Classic, the traditional opener and Arabian showpiece on the Dubai World Cup card, following his resounding HH The President Cup victory on Sunday night.
Tackling the 2,200-metre distance for the first time, Harry Bentley sent him to the lead with 200m to run and then just held off the challenge of Adrie de Vries on Abu Alabyad by a short head at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.
Thakif’s win is also significant given that the President Cup is, at Dh3 million, the country’s most valued race for Purebred Arabians in terms of prize money, even though the Kahayla Classic has greater recognition.
The seven-year-old chestnut son of Mahabb, trained by Majed Al Jahouri for his main patron Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, was completing his third win in as many appearances for the season.
“My horse, to be honest, a season or two seasons ago there was no chance he would stay this trip, because he was very keen,” said Bentley, who had ridden Thakif a dozen times and won all his races in his 16 local starts. “He seems to have grown up since last year. We went on an honest gallop and he kind of settled in very well.
“Two seasons ago he won a Group 3 over five furlongs. Amazing how versatile he is.”
Ahmed Ajtebi on stable companion Areem, a multiple Group 1 winner, bowled along in front for most of the way before getting tired approaching the final bend to finish sixth in the 16-runner field.
“It wasn’t Areem’s trip but we are very pleased with his effort,” Al Jahouri said. “Thakif has now won all his three races, two Group 1 prizes and a Group 2, and I believe that qualifies him for the Kahayla Classic.
“At the moment he’s the best horse we have in training. He was running this distance for the first time and he impressed us with this effort tonight.”
Ertijaal under a superb ride from Royston Ffrench clinched the thoroughbred HH President Cup, a Listed race over 1,400m, for the Ali Rashid Al Raihe stable in a photo finish from South African trainer Mike de Kock’s pair Johann Strauss and Disa Leader.
Tadhg O’Shea set a cracking early pace on the winner’s stablemate Nawaar, who won the prize 12 months ago, and Ffrench stayed close to him before hitting the front as they turned for home.
De Kock’s pair were still well back at the 200m but were doing the best work at the end.
Pat Dobbs on Johann Strauss was flying and went down by a nose with stable companion Disa Lida a further half-a-length back in third.
“It was a long walk back because Mike de Kock’s horse finished very fast. I wasn’t sure if we had held on at the finish,” said Ffrench after carrying the silks of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid to victory.
apassela@thenational.ae
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