Midlands-based Peter Hammersley had plenty to celebrate at Bath today, with Al-Hatab returning to form in the Wathba Stallions Cup (0-60) Handicap over 1m5f.
The striking grey six-year-old had won a hat-trick at the end of last season, and having been placed on his last run, connections were hopeful of a return to the winners’ enclosure.
Said Peter: “They’ve all been working well at home. I thought Lewis rode Al-Hatab well, he said he just hit a bit of a flat spot, but he knew he’d get home ok. He’s run on well at the end, he’s hardly having a blow really. Paddy asked if we had races over further because Coljani would stay a lot further, he enjoyed the ride. Jack was pleased with Belle Angelique, I asked him about the blinkers and he said to keep them on.”
Partnered today by Lewis Saunders, now attached to National Hunt trainer Olly Murphy, he’d had plenty of placed rides on Arabians when an amateur and Al-Hatab was the 20-year-old’s first win on the breed.
Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer: “We are delighted for Julie and Peter, winning again with Al-Hatab and also for Lewis, getting his first Arabian winner at last. It’s great that these young jockeys who start out on Arabians are still keen to come back once they’ve progressed to thoroughbreds.
©Debbie Burt – Equine Creative Media
For Best Turned Out, Debbie commented: “We thank Baker McVeigh International for sponsoring the Best Turned Out Award presented to Sue Wileman for Coljani. We now look forward to Royal Windsor in two weeks time, where we hold the first of our black races, the Group 2PA HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup, which has a long history of producing important winners when it was run as the Za’abeel International Stakes.”
The next race will take place on June, 29th 2024 at Royal Windsor.
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