Mahfouz wins Sharjah Ruler Cup as O’Shea continues winning record

O’Shea’s efforts denied jockey’s championship leader Richard Mullen aboard AF Al Jahed the victory in a close finish to claim the race for the fourth consecutive year and take home the Dh150,000 winner’s purse.

The Sharjah Ruler Cup is a flat race run over a distance of 1700 metres, and as well as being the course’s biggest race of the season it is also the highlight of the final race meeting of the season at the track.

This year’s renewal produced one of several exciting finishes on the six-race card with O’Shea sending his mount for victory upon leaving the home turn, sweeping past AF Al Jahed who had led from the outset.

However, Mullen had other ideas and fought back, but despite AF Al Jahed closing all the way throughout the final 100 metre they just failed to regain the initiative from O’Shea and Mahfouz on the line.

Having triumphed with Hamza 12 months ago, Abhaar in 2015 and Molahen El Alhan in 2014, the success meant O’Shea continued his remarkable success of recent years in the race.

Speaking about Mahfouz afterwards he said, “That was only his fourth start and first on dirt, he was still a bit green in the straight but knuckled down well and it is great to win what has been a lucky race for me again.”

The victory also ensured a fourth consecutive victory in the race for President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, plus a second consecutive victory for trainer Eric Lemartinel.

The Sharjah Ruler Cup was one of six races at the Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club five of which were for pureblood Arab horses only.

Owner and breeder Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda was responsible for four of the runners in the opening 1200 metre maiden where remarkably the quartet led home their 12 opponents.

It was Antonio Fresu, aboard the Ernst Oertel-trained debutante, AF Bareqah, who landed the spoils, as having led from the early stages they were chased home by stable companion AF Shuzza. AF Meghwaar was third ahead of AF Esnad, another saddled by Oertel.

There was also a tight finish in the following 1200 metre handicap with four of the 15 runners all with an opportunity to strike inside the final 50 metres. However it was Sam Hitchcott on Es Almas who emerged victorious, leading almost on the line. Saddled by Ibrahim Aseel, the winner was losing her maiden tag at the seventh attempt and ran on in determined fashion.

Hitchcott then completed a 1200 metre handicap double on maidens, this time in the Longines Handicap by steering the Doug Watson-trained Paranormal to a hard-fought success from Always Welcome.

The latter, under Tadhg O’Shea, had hit the front with less than 400 metres to run and, once headed at the 200 metres pole, fought back valiantly. However Paranormal clung on to win by half a length, in doing so losing his maiden tag on his fifth career start and fourth in the UAE.

The jockey then made it three narrow victories in succession, this time denying Watson whose Hakim made a brave attempt to make all the running under Pat Dobbs.

However, they could not withstand the desperate late thrust of Hitchcott and Eiz Al Reef, saddled by Abdallah Al Hammadi who was registering a second career success having lost his maiden tag in December.

The Sharjah Marathon, a 2700 metres handicap, was the final race of the Sharjah season, was won, as it had been 12 months ago, by The Secret, completing a double for Watson.

Swiss watchmaker Longines were once again present at the Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club as the official sponsor and timekeeper of the event.