The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) looks forward to its first race of the season to be held at Wolverhampton in which the exciting Qatari bred and trained AJS Lattam makes his European debut. Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Attiyah’s three-year-old colt is unbeaten in two starts in Qatar this spring and will face just two other rivals in the mile contest on Monday 17 July.

A son of leading stallion AF Albahar, AJS Lattam is a homebred from Al-Attiyah’s Al Jeryan Stud in Qatar. His dam is a half-sister to Dubai International Stakes winner Gazwan, who is also one of the few horses to win Qatar’s greatest prize, the HH The Amir Sword twice, as well as the Qatar Arabian World Cup on the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe card.

Commenting on his chances, Al-Attiyah said, “It’s my first-time training horses in the UK. Newmarket is a great place to train, the facilities are really good and the horses seem happy over here. AJS Lattam won his maiden and a cup race for three-year-olds in Doha, I’m sure he’ll improve again. I’m hoping he can win a race like this so that we can be more confident stepping up to 2000m for the Group 1PA race at Saint-Cloud in the autumn and Wolverhampton is a good place to start.

“Sadly we don’t have the dam anymore, but it’s a good family. I don’t know if AJS Lattam is as good as Gazwan, but I’m hoping he’s useful.”

The colt faces two older horses who both have the benefit of a recent run. Peter Hammersley trains nearby and is also the co-breeder of his runner, Coljani. Third on his reappearance last month, the gelding subsequently looked unsuited by the quick ground and Brighton’s undulations on his most recent outing. His sire Madjani’s stock do well on artificial surfaces and the Raffles Partnership will be hopeful of improvement from their four-year-old who holds an entry for next month’s UAE President Cup-UK Arabian Derby at Doncaster.

Completing the trio is the five-year old mare, Sassy, whose dam is a half-sister to a multiple PA Group winner. Trained by her owner-breeder Steve Blackwell just outside of Bridgend, she made her belated debut at Windsor last month, finishing behind Coljani. She was very green and slowly away, but her half-sister also took her time before recording two wins last season, and Blackwell will hope that she follows a similar path.

Debbie Burt, editor of The Arabian Racehorse magazine said, “It’s always a pleasure to support UK Arabian racing and particularly a race of this nature, with three young horses just at the start of their careers. On paper AJS Lattam looks to be an exciting young prospect and his owner-breeder-trainer, Mohammed bin Hamad Khalifa Al-Attiyah will be featured in the forthcoming edition of the magazine, which is due out on August 1^st.”

Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “ARO thanks The Arabian Racehorse for their continued support of UK Arabian racing, through the sponsorship of this race and the Best Turned Out Award. They also co-sponsor our UK Breeders scheme, so it is particularly pleasing that the two UK homebreds will qualify for points in this race.

“We look forward to returning to Wolverhampton on Monday for the first of our two scheduled races there.”

Upstart Crow and Miss Teagan Padgett made it three wins in as many starts when scoring in the Emirates Breeders (0-65) Handicap at Brighton on Tuesday 11^th July. Linda Reeves’s six-year-old gelding, trained by James Owen won by two and a quarter lengths from stablemate Jaahez and Mr Jamie Gambin, with Al-Hatab and Billie Loughnane eased down in third.

Regular partner, amateur jockey Padgett, was delighted to record her third success and remains unbeaten on Arabians, in this her first season riding the breed. After the race she said, “We jumped out, but no one was really going forward and there was a big line of horses in front of me. James had said to sit in behind and keep him travelling nicely, but I was going too well and I decided to go up the inside. I hit the front a lot sooner than I wanted too and he did hang over to the stands, but he got home.”

Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “ARO is delighted for the Reeves family in this their first season Arabian racing, we also congratulate the Owen team with the first two home and Teagan for making such a successful start to her Arabian racing career.”

“We are also pleased for Upstart Crow’s breeder John Elliott, who will again be rewarded as part of our breeders’ scheme, which gives a financial bonus to UK registered breeders whose horses finish in the first three places of all our races.”

Concluding shew said, “We thank Brighton racecourse and the Emirates Breeders representative Neil Abrahams who presented the trophies for the race. We also thank Baker McVeigh International for sponsoring the Best Turned Out award presented to Sue Wileman for Al-Hatab.

“We now look forward to our next race, Wathba Stallions Cup Novice Stakes at Wolverhampton on Monday 17 July.”

The Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) looks forward to the Emirates Breeders (0-65) Handicap at Brighton on Tuesday July 11^th in which Linda Reeves’s Upstart Crow bids for a hat-trick. Up against seven other runners, the six-year-old gelding and his regular partner, amateur Teagan Padgett, are likely to face the strongest challenge from stablemates, Jaahez, Mayfair and Heritage Valentino.

All four are trained by James Owen, previously a five-time ARO leading trainer, who took out his full BHA licence last year and is now gaining success under rules with his thoroughbreds. Owen, who has also been a leading point-to-point rider and ridden over 50 Arabian winners, sees the value in training Arabians as an opportunity to reward his staff. After Padgett’s debut win on Upstart Crow at Bath he commented, “We’re enjoying the jumping and we’ve made a great start with the Arabians today. We’re going to support the amateurs in the yard, Teagan and Rhea [Betts], as well as Jamie [Gambin] and Connor [Baker], they’ll ride all the Arabians when they can do the weight this year. That’s why I’ve got them and that’s why they work hard for me and I’ll reward them for that.”

Betts will partner Owen’s homebred filly Mayfair, who was less than a length behind Upstart Crow when they met over this trip last time, whilst Gambin will be on Jaahez who is making his seasonal reappearance, both for Owen’s Racing Club. Lower down the handicap is Mrs Skepper’s homebred Heritage Valentino, who renews the partnership with Kieran O’Neill, successful on the six-year-old at Wolverhampton last year.

Leicestershire based handler Peter Hammersley is co-breeder of Coljani, a gelding by Madjani, named in memory of the late Colin Banks, owner of the dam who Hammersley trained. The gelding was third on his reappearance last month and apprentice Mohammed Tabti retains the partnership. Hammersley is also co-owner in Al-Hatab, whose dam he trained to win seven races and who will again be ridden by Billie Loughnane. He also runs Dilmun Racing’s Belle Angelique, ridden by Georgia Dobie, who is a half-sister to a three-time winner.

Completing the field is Kayack for owner-breeder-trainer Jen Harris. The nine-year-old will be ridden by regular partner and leading amateur Serena Brotherton, for whom the gelding has been placed four times.

Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer said, “ARO is pleased with the turn out for this race, for which all bar one of the runners is British bred. We thank Brighton racecourse and the Emirates Breeders for their support as this series is extremely important for our grassroots competitors. We are also assisting them through our own ARO breeders scheme which gives a financial bonus to UK registered breeders whose horses finish in the first three places of all our races.”

“We also thank Baker McVeigh International who will be sponsoring the Best Turned Out award on Tuesday.”