RB Burn primed to light up Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club in Group 1 Liwa Oasis

Gerald Avranche will saddle RB Burn in the Group 1 Liwa Oasis. Lee Hoagland/The National

ABU DHABI // RB Burn returns to the venue where he won the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown nearly four months ago.

The Eric Lemartinel-trained runner beat a star-studded field in November to claim the €1.2 million (Dh4.7m) Group 1 race, the world’s richest for Purebred Arabians.

Among them were Al Mourtajez, the highest-rated Arabian in the world — flown in from Qatar after a fruitful campaign in Europe — and 2016 Dubai Kahayla Classic winner AF Mathmoon.

RB Burn was beaten in his next start by AF Mathmoon in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 on the dirt track of Meydan Racecourse two months later.

With no opposition of that calibre on Sunday night, however, the five-year-old grey son of Majd Al Arab starts as a firm favourite in the Group 1 Liwa Oasis.

“He is a very good horse and seems in great shape,” Gerald Avranche said.

The jockey was aboard RB Burn during both those starts, ahead of the second-last meeting at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.

“The shorter trip [over 1,400 metres and his previous two runs over 1,600m] should not be an issue,” Avranche said.

“Back on turf, this looks a good opportunity for him. We have to be very hopeful.”

Tadhg O’Shea, who has ridden plenty of winners for Lemartinel, partners AF Maqayes on behalf of Grandstand Stables trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

The local-bred grey by AF Al Buraq won his penultimate outing, the 1,000m Group 3 Al Ruwais at Abu Dhabi before chasing home AF Mathmoon in the Group 2 Mazrat Al Ruwayah over 1,600m on dirt at Meydan.

“He is in good form and has been running well,” O’Shea said. “With Shateh [withdrawn] out of the field, the race takes on a new dynamic as he was the obvious early pace.

‘With him out of the race, RB Burn undoubtedly looks the one to beat. But we should be thereabouts.”

Shateh was due to have his first outing for trainer Jean de Roualle, but he was sadly found to be lame on Saturday morning.

An out-and-out front-runner, Shateh was impressive with two victories in the two starts this season when trained by Majed Al Jahouri, who was slapped with a two-year ban by the Emirates Racing Authority after pleading guilty of using prohibited substance in one of his horses.

The main support event in the fourth race on the six-race card — the Group 3 Arabian Triple Crown Round 2 for four-year-olds, and will be contested over 2,200m on turf.

Al Zahir makes his local debut and looks an exciting newcomer after winning over 2,100m on his most recent outing in his native France.

He is now under Al Raihe’s care and will be ridden by British Champion jockey Jim Crowley.

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