Nymphea Du Paon proves Oertel wrong

Filly proves fitness doubts unfounded after Abu Dhabi Championship win

Nymphea Du Paon and jockey Adrie De Vriesr finish first in the Abu Dhabi Championship at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Sunday. Ravindranath K / The National

ABU DHABI // Ernst Oertel missed out on a clean sweep of the races for the Purebred Arabian juveniles, but was happy to go home with two of the three prizes, including the Listed Abu Dhabi Championship.

Adrie de Vries, deputising for the suspended stable jockey Tadhg O’Shea, was on-board both the winners, Fatat Al Arab in the Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic and Nymphea Du Paon in the Listed race.

In between, the Dutchman was runner-up on Molahen El Alham in the Abu Dhabi Colts Classic in Sunday night’s six-race card at the capital’s racecourse.

“They are very nice fillies and ran true to their potential. I was a little bit disappointed of the colt, though,” Oertel said of Molahen El Alham. “He was green and still a baby. We took the blinkers off because I thought it would help him. It was a mistake.”

De Vries did not have to break much sweat on leading a one-two finish for the Al Asayl Stables trainer in the opener as Nymphea Du Paon trounced her nine rivals, turning the 1,600-metre race into a procession.

De Vries had her in front after the 200m marker and they went clear from there to win by five-and-three-quarter lengths from Swwing (under Ted Durcan) and stable companion Burj Khalifa (James Doyle), a further three-and-quarter lengths down in third.

“She is a very nice filly,” Oertel said. “I haven’t done a true piece of work on her and was a bit concerned of her fitness. She proved me wrong and won well. She will progress from this race.”

Nymphea Du Paon took her career victories to three from four starts and Oertel has lined up the Arabian Triple Crown Round 1 over the course and distance in two weeks as her next target.

“It is over the course and distance and she is sure to progress from her first start for the stables. She should handle any distance from 1,600m to 2,400,” he said.

As well as his two winners, De Vries clinched a second and a third place from the four rides for the Al Asayl Stables.

“I was very fortunate to be on some of the top-notch Arabian juveniles while Tadhg had to stay at home,” De Vries said.

De Vries also led a one-two finish for Oertel in the first race.

“I had her [Fatat Al Arab] placed in a nice position and didn’t have to do much until I took her to the font, and she did it very nicely for me,” he said.

“My second winner [Nymphea Du Paon] on the night did even better. She had plenty of pace and I had no problem in leaving her to do her own way.”

Royston Ffrench on Af Al Hazer came with a strong late run to win the Colts Classic by four lengths from De Vries on Molahen El Alham.

They were both unbeaten in two starts coming to the race and it was the trainer Ibrahim Al Hadhrami’s grey son of Af Al Buraq who maintained his 100 per cent record.

Patrick Cosgrave steered Bayan to win the fourth race, a maiden, and apprentice Noel Garbutt produced a scintillating late run on the Eric Lemartinel-trained Solo Restoreto to win the Al Wathba Stud Farm Cup for the private owners and stables.

Richard Mullen on the Satish Seemar-trained Inthar took the concluding thoroughbred prize from Mutayaser (Ahmed Ajtebi) and Henry Clay (Sam Hitchcock).