AMIRAT AL ZAMAN BOOKS DERBY TICKET WITH WIN IN WATHBA STALLIONS CUP
Amirat Al Zaman and Marco Ghiani winning the Wathba Stallions Cup (0-95) Handicap at Newbury © Debbie Burt – Equine Creative Media
A one-two for Owen with new owners at Newbury
Friday 19 July 2024 –
Leading Iraqi owner breeder Dr Mohammed Al Nujaifi is making a fruitful return to UK Arabian racing following a second win for his Amirat Al Zaman in the £6,000 Wathba Stallions Cup (0-95) Handicap over a mile and a quarter at Newbury. All being well the four-year-old filly will have booked her place in the Group 1PA UK Arabian Derby next month.
Ridden again by Marco Ghiani, the pair led throughout and despite a late challenge from UK debutant Winds Of Fortune, their success was never in doubt. Both the first and second are trained in Newmarket by leading ARO trainer James Owen, who has taken both horses in for a UK summer campaign from their overseas based owners, Al Nujaifi Racing and Cre Run Farm. Course and distance winner Paramer Angel improved on his run last week to finish a gallant third under former ARO champion novice jockey, Charlie Price.
Amirat Al Zaman is a daughter of Dr Al Nujaifi’s dual Group 1PA winner Hilal Al Zaman and is a half-sister to two French Arabian Oaks winners in Muneera and Al Shomoos.
Quotes:
Marco Ghiani, jockey, 1st: “She was great, she felt like she had sharpened up a lot from the last race. Obviously I knew her today so I could be more confident. She did really well as the race was a bit faster than Yarmouth and we had an extra couple of furlongs to go but she stayed on really well and she fought hard. I think she should be ok for the Derby.”
James Owen, Trainer, 1st, 2nd: “Amirat Al Zaman pinged the gates and she led well like last time. She’s galloped all the way to the line and is very resolute for an Arabian, she wasn’t stopping at the end. If she comes out of this well, she’ll head to the Derby. It was a good performance for a filly.
“Winds Of Fortune is a nice horse, he carried top weight and I felt was a little bit ring rusty, I think he’ll come on massively for it. I learnt a lot about him today and speaking to Pat [Dobbs, jockey], he was happy with him. If he comes out of this fine, he’s got the experience of the better races run at higher speeds, so we’ll look to go to Goodwood for the Group 1. He needs cover and producing late, and we’ll probably put the blinkers back on, but he’s run well today.”
Charlie Price, jockey 3rd: “That was a bit more like it. An improvement on Chester today.”
James Owen, Amirat Al Zaman, Lissie Reeves and Marco Ghiani winners of the Wathba Stallions Cup (0-95) Handicap at Newbury © Debbie Burt – Equine Creatie Media
Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festivalcommented, “We’re delighted for everyone at Al Nuaifi Racing for the win of Amirat Al Zaman. It will be a good compliment for the Festival if she can win this race and then go on and do well in the UK Arabian Derby next month.”
Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “We’re delighted for the Al Nujaifi Racing and James Owen teams for gaining a second win with Amirat Al Zaman and we thank the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival and the Wathba Stallions Cup for their support of our racing. Our warmest congratulations also go to America’s Cre Run Farm with their first UK runner in their own colours with Winds Of Fortune in second.
“We thank The Arabian Racehorse magazine who sponsored the Best Turned Out Award won by Rebecca Brady for Paramer Angel and now look forward to our next race at Lingfield on Tuesday 23 July.”
Genny Haynes with James Owen and Marco Ghiani winners of the Wathba Stallions Cup (0-95) Handicap at Newbury with Al Nujaifi Racing’s Amirat Al Zaman
© Debbie Burt- Equine Creative Media
1st: AMIRAT AL ZAMAN (FR)
2nd: WINDS OF FORTUNE (USA)
3rd: PARAMER ANGEL (GB)
4 ran – Non- Runner 1 MUTWAHHEJ ATHBAH
Distances: 1.25, 2.75
Time: 2.16.43
Going: GOOD
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