Al Shemali returns to Al Raihe, his winning trainer for the 2010 Group 1 Dubai Duty Free
The eight-year-old chestnut horse of Medicean out of Bathilde, Al Shemali, has come back to Dubai for trying his chances after having won the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free in 2010. He has now returned to Al Raihe, because prior to that he was with Godolphin
Racing until 23rd January 2012, and was being trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni.
Al Shemali raced the last three races of the 2011 season in the UK for the Godolphin Racing, but could not post any victory through any of those starts, however, he was placed in the last two attempts.
He was second in the Aqlaam Godolphin Stakes on 23rd September, 2011, at Newmarket which was raced for a mile and a furlong, and the event was won by De Kock trained Mahbooba.
In the Sir Gordon Richards Conditions Stakes on 24th October, 2011, at Leicester, Al Shemali was third with the stable mate, Sadeek’s Song claiming the race.
During both these races, Al Shemali had Ahmed Ajtebi riding him.
When Al Shemali won the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free sponsored by Dubai Duty Free on 27th March 2010, at the Meydan, which was contested over a distance of a mile and a furlong, the winner was under Al Raihe’s charge, and was ridden
by Ffrench.
The highly speculative reunion with the previous connections has overwhelmed Ffrench and Al Raihe:
Jockey Ffrench said: "It is great to have him back in the yard and he has quickly settled back into the routine. He will come on for the run but has been working well enough”.
Al Shemali has been switched to four different trainers since spending the 2006 and 2007 season with Sir Michael Stoute. He then stayed with Saeed bin Suroor till 20th January 2009, and then spent a year with M bin Shafya, till
10th February 2010.
For nearly more than a year, Al Shemali stayed under the training of Al Raihe. He then spent five months with Godolphin Racing, and returned to Al Raihe on 23rdJanuary, 2012.
He will be participating in the Dubai Duty free Tennis Championships Handicap on 26th January, with twelve others on the field. The Godolphin entries in the race include Rostrum, Fallen Idol and Quick Wit.
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