Abu Dhabi Turf Club will step into the marquee highlight today (Friday, 14th November), preparing to welcome an afternoon where anticipation will hang thick in the air and every race will carry its own sense of promise. The programme will build gradually, each contest adding a new layer of excitement, but the early part of the card will revolve around one standout event: Race 2 – HH The President Cup Prep, a race that will draw the attention of racing enthusiasts long before the gates even open.
The meeting will open at 17:30 with The Sapphire Crown Classic, a 2200m Purebred Arabian test worth AED 66,000, where riders will try to set the rhythm for what will become a steadily intensifying evening. Young horses hoping to make their presence felt will push forward, and jockeys will attempt to seize early confidence, knowing momentum will matter on a day where every decision could shape the hours ahead.
Race 2 at 18:00, however, will shift the atmosphere entirely. The HH The President Cup Prep, run over 2200m for AED 111,000, will gather an impressive collection of Purebred Arabians whose connections will come with real intent. The lineup will feature names that, on paper, already suggest a compelling clash. AJRAD ATHBAH, guided by Abdul Aziz Al Balushi for Majed Al Jahoori, will step forward looking to make a bold impression, while FIRST CLASSS, with the seasoned Connor Beasley aboard for Doug Watson, aims to turn experience into an early advantage.
But the intrigue only grows from there. HAMEEM, ridden by Daniel Tudhope for Abdallah Al Hammadi, joins the fray alongside KASSOU HIPOLYTE, with Qais Al Busaidi representing Hamza Al Hamida, and MUTWAHHEJ ATHBAH, partnered with the ever-reliable Tadhg O’Shea for Elise Jeanne. Each brings a tactical edge that could reshape the flow of the race in an instant. The field deepens further with NASSIF (Bernardo Pinheiro for Salem Almarar), RB KINGMAKER and RUMZ—both runners from the Helal & Tahnon Alalawi team under Ray Dawson and Michael Sheehy—together with RB YAS MAN (Al Moatasem Al Balushi for Ahmed Al Balushi) and RB YAS SIR (Alexandre da Silva for Ernst Oertel).
Rounding out this formidable lineup is SOCRATES under Richard Mullen for Musabbeh Al Mheiri, SO’UD with Silvestre De Sousa representing Majed Al Jahoori, DIYAAH guided by Szczepan Mazur for Saeed Al Shamsi, and TAQDEER paired with Sam Hitchcott for Musabbeh Al Mheiri. With such contrasting running styles, seasoned jockeys, and sharp-minded trainers converging, the HH The President Cup Prep shapes up as a contest where timing, discipline, and the courage to strike at the perfect moment will decide the outcome.
At 18:30, the evening will move into sharper, faster territory with the Wathba Stallions Cup (For Private Owners) over 1200m, offering AED 70,000, where speed will dominate and small margins will define the outcome. The pace of the night will continue to rise with the Star Of The Desert Stakes at 19:00, a 1600m test worth AED 66,000, where horses with tactical brilliance will try to take advantage of the track’s flow.
As the floodlights deepen across the racecourse, the Al Ittihad Gold Mile at 19:30, run over 1600m for AED 66,000, will ask for precise judgment and a well-timed finishing run. That theme will remain in Race 6, the Thunder Hoof Mile at 20:00, another 1600m contest with AED 66,000 on offer, where consistency and tactical patience will likely play a decisive role.
The evening will close at 20:30 with The Maritime Pearl Sprint, a 1400m dash carrying AED 66,000, where the fastest horses on the card will look to unleash one final burst of energy and bring the night to its dramatic conclusion.
By the time the final race is run, the 14th of November will have shaped up to be a memorable chapter at Abu Dhabi Turf Club. With depth across every event and the HH The President Cup Prep poised to send the crowd into early excitement, the evening will stand as a showcase of skill, strategy, and the enduring thrill of the sport.
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