Rookie female Sudanese trainer Nisren Mahgoub continued her impressive debut season with two winners at Abu Dhabi’s 10th meeting on Thursday.
Mahgoub won the first two races with Sharkh and AF Yatwy while her husband, Mohamed Daggash, took the third race courtesy of Foah as the couple bagged half the prizes on offer on the six-race card.
Sharkh, under Oscar Chavez, was a convincing winner over SS Izz Dubai and Itchy De Nacre by a length and-a-quarter and head respectively.
The seven year old by Majd Al Arab was settled just behind the leaders before taking up the running on the home stretch and never looked likely to be denied his fourth career success and third in the capital over the track and trip.
Pat Cosgrave, on AF Yatwy, completed the double for Mahgoub – her seventh winner of the season – in the maiden for runners foaled in the UAE.
The five year old son of AF Dhabbatik stormed clear over the final 350m to come home eight and-a-quarter lengths clear of Bernardo Pinheiro on Bashasha Al Reef to break his duck on his first turf and second career start.
Cosgrave went on to clinch a double by claiming the concluding thoroughbred handicap on Al Salt in the silks of Shadwell for trainer Ali Al Badwawi.
The homebred six-year-old Mukhadram gelding beat Yonafis by a short head and deny jockey Jean van Overmeire from grabbing a double on the night.
Foah, under Sandro Paiva, clinched a thriller to give Daggash his third winner of the season.
Half of the 14 runners were in contention as the field swept into the final 350m and before Foah prevailed in a four-horse photo finish.
Results:
5pm: Ghayl Fort – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Sharkh, Oscar Chavez (jockey), Nisren Mahgoub (trainer)
5.30pm: Al Mahatta Fort – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Yatwy, Patrick Cosgrave, Nisren Mahgoub
6pm: Dhaya Fort – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Foah, Sandro Paiva, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm: Al Fahidi Fort – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Shawall, Jean van Overmeire, Khalifa Al Neyadi
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: MM Al Balqaa, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qaiss Aboud
7.30pm: Al Falayah Fort – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Al Salt, Patrick Cosgrave, Ali Al Badwawi
