A quality three UAE race meetings in four days culminates in Abu Dhabi on Monday with the HH The President Cup fixture, officially highlighted by the 2200m Purebred Arabian Group One version of the prestigious contest in which Somoud will attempt to defend the crown he won last year.

One of the main highlights of the Abu Dhabi season, the Group 1 HH The President Cup has attracted a capacity field of 14 and looks wide open, unless the aforementioned holder Somoud  can bounce back to his best form under his optimum conditions.

Trained by Jean de Roualle for Yas Racing, the homebred 8yo entire has been a great servant to connections and has always been held in the highest regard by his trainer and, as well as winning this 12 months ago, he has also won the two most recent renewals of the Group 1 Emirates Championship over the same 2200m course and distance.

However, he has failed to fire in three outings this season, all over this track and trip, most recently in the official prep three weeks ago.

De Roualle said: "He is working well and we certainly have not lost faith in him; he is a class horse but his recent races have not really worked out to his advantage.
"Hopefully there will be a nice strong gallop on Monday to give him the best chance of winning the race again under his favourite conditions."

The aforementioned prep was won by Mujeeb Rahman , saddled by Salem Al Ketbi for Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and, seemingly, an improving homebred 6yo entire. He will again have the assistance of Richard Mullen in the saddle.

Mullen said: "He impressed me in the prep and won it in good style. Hopefully he can build on that in what is obviously a stronger race."

Unbeaten after five victories last season, all on the Abu Dhabi turf and including a defeat of Mujeeb by just over a length in the 1600m Listed Arabian Triple Crown R1, 5yo Hameem returned with a smooth early December success in the Group 3 National Day Cup over the same 1600m.

Trained by Abdallah Al Hammadi for Al Ajban Stables, he was then taken to Meydan for his dirt debut in the 1900m Group 2 Madjani Stakes, finishing well beaten in fourth.

However, he then suffered a first turf defeat when denied by a nose in the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup, only a Prestige contest, and he has stamina to prove over 2200m. Al Hammadi did enjoy an Al Ain treble last week so the yard are at least in form.

With question marks surrounding most of the seemingly principle players, the likes of Ihtesham , No And No Al Maury  and Dagui Lotois  could be the ones to benefit should the supposed main hopes fail to fire.

The Thoroughbred equivalent, the 1400m Listed HH The President Cup, also looks wide open with a case to be made for many in another capacity field of 16.

For Jebel Ali Racecourse patron, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Nicholas Bachalard saddles both local debutant Zamooni, the choice of Mullen and Boerhan  who will be partnered by Fernando Jara.

Jara's mount won the 1600m Listed National Day Cup here at Abu Dhabi in December 2020 and was beaten less than a length when a close fourth in this last year. He was well beaten on his one start so far this season, at the beginning of November, also in the capital.

Meanwhile, Zamaani  was a dual winning sprinter in Britain for Simon and Ed Crisford but has been off the track since April 2021, or 318 days to be precise, so would be entitled to need the outing.

Bachalard said: "Zamaani is a new horse for us and running over further than he has done so far in his career but is a nice addition to the team.
"We know Boerhan likes it at Abu Dhabi where he seems to show his best form and both ours should go well."

Shadwell's Haqeeqy  is another fascinating new recruit to the UAE with four victories to his name, from just nine starts, for John and Thady Gosden in Britain, headlined by his success in the prestigious Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster.

Previously having sported the silks of Sheikha Hissa, the 5yo gelding is now to represent the Shadwell banner and will seek to provide John Hyde a first UAE winner as a trainer with just his fourth runner.