OMANI connections had an afternoon to remember at the second stage of the three-day HH the Emir 23rd International Equestrian Sword Festival at the Racing and Equestrian Club on Wednesday,  writes Howard Wright. 

Raddad brought off a shock win in the Group 1 Qatar International Trophy for Purebred Arabians for owner-breeder-trainer Ahmed Abdullah Al Marzooqi and jockey Asad Al Seyabi, after Fatma Al Manji had flown the flag for Oman by winning the latest leg of the Longines Fegentri Championship for lady riders on Al Safi.

Al Seyabi, one of the top riders in his native country, who has gained experience in Europe, held a prominent position on Raddad from the start of the 1,600m race, worth one million riyals, as Lahoor made the running, and they avoided the trouble in running that befell several of the runners who tracked them.

Raddad raced into the led 200m from the finish and won a shade comfortably by a length and a half from the strong-finishing pair Bin Amer and the previously unbeaten filly Aden, who were separated by a head, with Harran, winner of the race two years ago, heading La Hoor close to the finish but still half a length from the placed horses.

Al Shaqab Racing’s No Problem Al Maury, on whom Frankie Dettori was having his first ride at the Festival, was one of the sufferers from interference before finishing seventh, while Fouladh, winner of the Gulf Cup on the first day of the meeting for the last two years, was a place behind after being forced wide round the final bend.

A large contingent of supporters greeted the winner and draped the Omani flag over the hind quarters of Raddad, who had won his two previous races in Oman but was running in Qatar for the first time since being well beaten in last year’s HH the Emir’s Sword.

Al Manji, one of two Omani girl riders taking part in the worldwide Fegentri series, had less time to celebrate than the connections of Raddad.

She won the opening conditions race, for Purebred Arabians over 1,200m, very comfortably by four lengths with a stylish display of front-running, but was thrown to the ground when her mount jinked through the rails on the bend 100m after the finishing line.

After a lengthy delay, Al Manji returned to the winner’s enclosure, unscathed apart from a bruised nose, but she was unable to weigh in as her mount, who was also unhurt, disappeared off the track, to be caught later.

The day’s important race for thoroughbreds, the Group 2 Qatar International Cup over 1,600m and worth one million riyals, continued the fairytale story of the four-year-old filly Mojave Desert, who gained her fourth and easily most prestigious success under a confident ride by former Qatar champion jockey Darren Williams.

Mojave Desert arrived in Qatar last year as a lowly-rated maiden, having been placed in one of her four races as a three-year-old for Dubai owner Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, and was sold out of Mark Johnston’s stable for 11,000gns at the Tattersalls sales in Newmarket in July.

Since joining trainer Majid Safedeen she has blossomed into one of Qatar’s top sprinters, and, according to Williams, is still improving.

Although her winning margin was only a neck, with long-time leader Beach Club one and a quarter lengths behind in third place, Mojave Desert might have had a little more in hand, as William added: “I probably went to the front too soon. But she travelled so well through the race and gave me a great ride.”

The win meant a lot to Williams, who said: “I had a couple of very good years in Qatar, then the momentum slowed and it has been hard work this year. You need a good horse to keep you noticed, and Mojave Desert is the one.”