Shaheen Champ Returns At Meydan

Muarrab (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), last seen winning the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen on the Dubai World Cup card Mar. 26, returns to action in Thursday's Listed Garhoud Sprint at Meydan, a race he won last year by 5 1/4 lengths to kick off his best-ever season. Muarrab hardly looked like a Group 1 winner next out when finishing fifth, 12 lengths behind Reynaldothewizard (Speightstown), in the Listed Dubawi S., but he posted a much improved performance when second in the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint a month later before taking the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal and the Golden Shaheen. The 7-year-old gelding has been drawn second from the outside in stall 11 and will be ridden by Dane O'Neill, who said, “It is not a great draw and he carries a penalty. However, he goes well fresh and is tactically versatile, so hopefully we can overcome the draw and maintain my perfect record on him; I have ridden him twice in a race, winning both times.”

The only runner drawn outside Muarrab is fellow Sheikh Hamdan colourbearer Ghaamer (Hard Spun), who won over this track on opening night of the carnival last year and also won Abu Dhabi's Listed HH The President's Cup on the grass. Jockey Tadhg O'Shea said, “We are drawn next to the horse we all have to beat, Muarrab. I won on Ghaamer on the first night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival in January and we think he will run well in a very good sprint.”