Dubai: Madjani, true to form and predictions, demolished the field with a superb run under Richard Hills to clinch his second successive Dubai Kahayla Classic (Group 1) for Purebred Arabians.
The win gave owner Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry, his fourth successive win in this premier race for Purebred Arabians. While trainer Gillian Duffield completed a hat-trick, Hills also earned his third Kahayla win.
Madjani, a six year-old son of Tidjani, has been in awesome form since he won the Kahayla last year under Willie Supple. He came into yesterday's race with three Group 1 wins, two on turf and one at the same course earlier.
The Duffield-ward was expecting a stiff test from a quartet of international runners, three from France and one from England. However it was not to be as Madjani was in a class of his own.
He was followed home by three other UAE-based Arabians to make it a clean sweep for local connections.
Madjani jumped out smartly from stall one and Hills kept the piping hot favourite close to the rails. Doug Watson's Al Awal set the pace and led for most of the race, but as the field entered the home stretch, Hills brought Madjani to the front.
Lengthening his strides, the champion moved away from the chasing pack. Shaikh Hamdan's Djelmane, trained by Watson, and Charh, trained by Erwan Charpy, also joined the battle, but Madjani was always ahead.
Hills brought the whip out and Madjani romped home with more than three lengths ahead of Djelmane. Satish Seemar's Hasna De Faust came up with a late run to push Charh to fourth place.
"He is a fantastic animal," said a beaming Duffield, who is having a tremendous UAE season, which includes a four-timer at an Abu Dhabi race meeting. "Madjani is simply the best."
The international runners seemed out of place and looked woefully short of form in unfamiliar conditions.
The Jean Pierre Totain-trained Amperor Des Cedres, who arrived with a strong reputation on the back of four successive wins, including two on dirt, was just not in the reckoning and finished second from last in the 11-horse field.
Another strong contender, French mare Djezica finished last while Arsene Rupin finished eighth. The only newcomer to salvage some pride for the international runners was Udjidor De Bozouls, finishing sixth.
| RESULTS |
| RACE 1 DUBAI KAHAYLA CLASSIC (Purebred Arabians) |
| Group 1 Distance 2,000m Dirt |
| US$250,000 sponsored by EMAAR |
| Place | Horse/DIRT rating | Trainer | Jockeys | G. No. |
| 1 | Madjani (FR) ( 122 ) | G Duffield | R Hills | 1 |
| 2 | Djelmane (FR) ( 100 ) | D Watson | G Birrer | 2 |
| 3 | Hasna De Faust (FR) ( 90 ) | S Seemar | R Moore | 8 |
| 4 | Charh (BG) ( 100 ) | E Charpy | W Supple | 4 |
| 5 | Jilko (FR) ( 97 ) | M Al Muhairi | W Smith | 9 |
| 6 | Udjidor De Bozouls (FR) ( 109 ) | J P Totain | O Peslier | 6 |
| 7 | Al Awal (GB) ( 95 ) | D Watson | R Mullen | 7 |
| 8 | Arsene Rupin (FR) ( 100 ) | G Ward | J Murtagh | 3 |
| 9 | Agrab Al Nas (FR) ( 102 ) | J Frazier Jr | G Hind | 11 |
| 10 | Amperor Des Cedres (FR) ( 107 ) | J P Totain | C Nora | 10 |
| 11 | Djezika (FR) ( 110 ) | D De Watrigant | C Soumillon | 5 |
