Latest News

Alfareeq and Hukum score in Group races at key Meydan meeting

Shadwell Stable enjoyed a wonderful homebred double on ‘Super Saturday’ at Meydan as Alfareeq landed the Group 1 Jebel Hatta and Hukum scored in the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold.

Alfareeq, a five-year-old son of Dark Angel trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, finished second to Real World in the Zabeel Mile on his last start but stayed the extra furlong of the Jebel Hatta well to win by a length and a quarter.

He was ridden by Dane O’Neill who reported after the race: “They’ve done a great job with him doing the stalls work, Shane Ryan and Musabbeh, and he’s got plenty of ability. He quickens up well, this horse.

“It was probably a little bit stop start for the favourite, they didn’t go a true enough gallop to come from off the pace. I stalked it and got lovely splits. This horse has got a lovely turn of foot.”

Alfareeq is out of the winning Cape Cross mare Urjawaan, a descendant of one of the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s finest blue hen mares in Wasnah. She was a Listed-placed daughter of Nijinsky who produced champion miler Bahri and Champagne Stakes winner Bahhare.

Hukum, a three-time Group 3 winner last year in the John Smith’s Silver Cup, Geoffrey Freer Stakes and Cumberland Lodge Stakes, made a pleasing return to action as a five-year-old with his smooth victory under Shadwell’s retained jockey Jim Crowley in the Dubai City of Gold.

Trainer Owen Burrows said after the race: “He had to make his move a little earlier than ideal but he picked up well and I’m very pleased. He’s got three weeks now to enjoy this warmth and I’m sure he’ll come on plenty.”

Hukum is a Sea The Stars full-brother to Shadwell’s superstar miler Baaeed, who lit up the 2021 Flat season by remaining unbeaten in six starts including the Prix du Moulin and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Their dam Aghareed is a Listed-winning daughter of Kingmambo and Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Lahudood, and she was in turn a maternal great-granddaughter of Sheikh Hamdan’s breed-shaping matriarch Height Of Fashion.

Elsewhere on Saturday’s Meydan card, the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 winner Hypothetical paid a compliment to the pedigree of Nunnery Stud-based Commonwealth Cup hero Eqtidaar.

Hypothetical is out of Peut Etre, a Group 3-placed half-sister to Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner Precieuse. The dam is a maternal granddaughter of multiple Listed winner Zeiting, who was a half-sister to Eqtidaar’s dam Madany.

The beautifully bred Eqtidaar stands at Nunnery Stud this year at a fee of £5,000, with deals available.