By Tom Frary
Having promised to make his presence felt in the better middle-distance contests for a while, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Almaqam delivered on Thursday evening in Sandown's G3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes. Taken to the front early by Oisin Murphy, the 7-4 second favourite predictably faced his sternest challenge from the 5-4 market-leader Ombudsman inside the last two furlongs but stayed on strongly to end that rival's unbeaten sequence by 1 3/4 lengths.
This win came at the track at which the apple of Ed Walker's eye had wowed 12 months ago in the Listed Heron Stakes and while his four subsequent Pattern-race efforts had seen no wins, he had shown a smart level when second in the G2 Prix Dollar at ParisLongchamp in October. Sluggish when third in the course-and-distance G3 Gordon Richard Stakes last month, the real Almaqam was on display here. “I thought this would be an easy option, but I was worried about the Gosdens' horse,” his trainer said. “He was still on his winter holidays last time and today he looked much sharper. He's big and laid-back and we almost have to wake him up.”
🥊 Almaqam vs Ombudsman!
Classy performance from Almaqam to land the G3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes @edwalkerracing | @oismurphy | @Sandownpark | @StarSports_Bet pic.twitter.com/4IZPZgd8xq
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 29, 2025
“He has an awesome temperament and I think he will keep improving,” he added. “We mustn't be lured into big races on fast ground–the ground is important for him and those autumn targets like the Champion Stakes are ideal for him. We put him in the Arc the other day, as Ryan Moore said he needed a mile and a half last year and today Oisin said the same, so there could be more to come over further.”
“It's a big day for him and my team and myself, as we all believe a lot in this horse,” Walker concluded. “I think it is hard to know exactly what to do with him in the summer, but good ground is as quick as it wants to be. The ground would be a worry at Royal Ascot, but he won't need to do a huge amount between now and then so we will keep an eye on it.”
Thady Gosden said of the runner-up, who was carrying a penalty. “It was a very pleasing run–it was his first outing for 263 days and he was giving three pounds to the winner as well. He was a little fresh early on, but then settled well and quickened up nicely in the straight. Hopefully he comes out of this well and we can look forward to the Royal meeting. He has an entry in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and there is also the other mile-and-a-quarter races, so we'll see how he comes out of it and how the races are looking and go from there.”
Pedigree Notes
Almaqam is the second live foal out of Talmada, the daughter of Cape Cross who captured the Listed John Musker Stakes and was runner-up in the GI E.P. Taylor Stakes and G2 Middleton Stakes. Her first was Dubawi's dual listed-placed sprinter Saleymm, while her third is this month's promising London Gold Cup winner Saddadd by Pinatubo.
Talmada is kin to Street Cry's G2 Champagne Stakes winner Saamidd and Distorted Humor's Listed scorer and Group 3-placed Masaarr, while the third dam Zibilene is a half-sister to the G1 Irish 2,000 Guineas and GI Breeders' Cup Mile-winning sire Barathea and his G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas-winning full-sister Gossamer. The latter is the dam of Dubai Destination's G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Ibn Khaldoun and the second dam of Exceed And Excel's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Mischief Magic. Her 2-year-old filly by Wootton Bassett is named Eklleel, while she also has a yearling full-sister to Saleymm.
Thursday, Sandown, Britain
STAR SPORTS BRIGADIER GERARD STAKES-G3, £80,000, Sandown, 5-29, 4yo/up, 9f 209yT, 2:06.03, gd.
1–ALMAQAM (GB), 128, c, 4, by Lope De Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Talmada (SW & GSP-Eng, GISP-Can, $197,094), by Cape Cross (Ire)
2nd Dam: Aryaamm (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
3rd Dam: Zibilene (GB), by Rainbow Quest
1ST GROUP WIN. O-Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum; B-Godolphin; T-Ed Walker; J-Oisin Murphy. £45,368. Lifetime Record: MGSP-Fr, 8-3-1-2, $217,623. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Ombudsman (Ire), 131, c, 4, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Syndicate (GB), by Dansili (GB). (340,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-J Hanly; T-John & Thady Gosden. £17,200.
3–Phantom Flight (GB), 128, g, 6, Siyouni (Fr)–Qushchi (GB), by Encosta De Lago (Aus). (100,000gns RNA Ylg '20 TATOCT; 100,000gns 2yo '21 TATBRE). O-Victorious Racing; B-St Albans Bloodstock LLP; T-George Scott. £8,608.
Margins: 1 3/4, 4, 1. Odds: 2.75, 2.25, 22.00.
Also Ran: Military Order (Ire), Enfjaar (Ire), Cicero's Gift (GB), Aafoor. Scratched: Ancient Wisdom (Fr), Bolster (GB), Persica (Ire).
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