Unbeaten during his first season, the 5yo entire started this one in similar fashion by winning the 1600m Group 3 National Day Cup, a seventh consecutive victory, all on the Abu Dhabi turf.

The dirt at Meydan then seemingly did not suit and he was then twice beaten back in the capital, in a race he was expected to win and the 2200m Group 1 HH The President Cup.

This task was much more to his liking and having been settled in last of the nine runners, he responded instantly when asked to challenge at the top of the straight, hitting the front within the final 200m and winning easily.

De Vries said: "He has always been a lovely horse but I think he just lost his way a little bit after they tried him on the dirt, which he did not like, and it has taken him a couple of races to rediscover his best.
"Today he was back to his best and was always enjoying himself and really picked up well in the straight. He is a nice horse."

The opening 2200m maiden basically turned into a 600m dash after the vast majority of the race was contested at a dawdle before Fernando Jara rushed Sultana to the head of affairs leaving the home turn and the pair stayed on strongly to score for Athbah Racing and Mohamed Daggash.

Bred by Shadwell, the 4yo filly having her fifth career start and fourth in the UAE since joining current connections, seemingly relishing a big step up in trip from 1600m.

Jara, content to settle behind the leaders early on, pulled wide on the home turn to challenge, hit the front about 400m out and soon had the race in safekeeping.

Jara said: "I knew I had a big chance so was keen to keep out of trouble so challenged wide and she has enjoyed the new trip."

For horses in private ownership, a 1200m handicap, like so many such races, was dominated by horses trained by Ernst Oertel for Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda with the owner's retained jockey, Tadhg O'Shea, picking the right one with AF Majalis prevailing cosily from stablemate AF Taghzel.

The Al Nabooda duo faced just six rivals and had the race between themselves throughout the final 300m with the consistent AF Majalis taking control over the concluding 100m to record a fifth career success and second this season.

A homebred 6yo entire, he has now won four of his six starts over this Abu Dhabi 1200m and O'Shea said: "We had a big weight so I was happy to ease him into the race knowing that he stays 1400m well but this 1200m is probably his best trip and he is a lovely horse to have in the yard as is he is so consistent."

Connections were then denied a rapid double in the following 1400m handicap for horses foaled locally in which O'Shea and AF Afham hit the front 200m from home, only to be headed soon after by MH Tawag, Richard Mullen in the saddle sporting the silks of Mansoor Khalifa Sultan bin Habtoor for Elise Jeanne.

An admirable 10yo, the homebred entire horse was winning for the seventh time, fifth on turf but first at this trip, the shortest over which he has scored.

Mullen said: "This horse has been a model of consistency for a long time and we had been trying him over 2200m but the gallop was always too slow and now, back at 1600m, he has bounced back to his best the last twice."

Originally second reserve, Muqtader took full advantage of the opportunity once presented in a 1600m handicap, grabbing the prize under Royston Ffrench for HH Sheikh Khalifa and Salem Al Ketbi.

Racing in midfield throughout the early stages, Ffrench crept closer leaving the back straight before delivering his telling challenge, the pair hitting the front in the final 100m

Ffrench said: "I have ridden a fair bit of work for the trainer this season so it is nice to ride a winner for them.
"This fellow stays further so I knew when I was in touch turning for home I had a big chance and he certainly did not let me down.

The finale and only Thoroughbred contest on the card was a 1400m handicap and Leadership , having been reluctant to load but finally relenting, then made every post a winning one under Bernardo Pinheiro for Ahmed Belqasem and trainer Helal Alalawi.

A 5yo gelded son of Raven's Pass, he was doubling his career tally by adding this victory to one he enjoyed over 1400m on the Jebel Ali dirt in December 2021.