Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Muarrab (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) nabbed the 2016 edition of the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal and is gunning for his second victory in the 1200-metre dirt contest Saturday. He went on to bigger and better things after his Al Shimaal score, when victorious in that year's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen with Morawij (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) third and 2013 Shaheen hero Reynaldothewizard (Speightstown) fourth on Dubai World Cup night Mar. 26. That was the last time the gelding visited the winner's circle to date, however. Rolling three straight runner-up finishes since, including the Listed Garhoud Sprint over this strip Dec. 15, Muarrab was behind that Speightstown 'TDN Rising Star' with U.S. GSW Wild Dude (Wildcat Heir) third in the Listed Dubawi S. locally Jan. 12. Cool Cowboy (Kodiak Kowboy) was a neck ahead of the Shadwell colourbearer in the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint over track and trip, while Wild Dude completed the trifecta Feb. 2.
There is a decided international flavour in this year's Mahab Al Shimaal, as Dios Corrida (Jpn) (Kane Hekili {Jpn}) makes his Meydan bow and first appearance since winning at Nakayama on Christmas Eve. Hong Kong shipper Dundonnell (First Defence)–a Group 3 winner in England and hero of the Listed Sprint Cup in his adopted land–enters on the back of a length defeat by Godolphin's Comicas (Distorted Humor) in a Meydan handicap Feb. 11.
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