Shawaaheq
The week got off to the best possible start for La Grange Stables as we struck with our very first runner when Shawaaheq took the 0-80 handicap over a mile at Lingfield yesterday afternoon.
Ridden by Jim Crowley, the three-year-old son of Tamayuz broke smartly from the gates and was quickly leading the field of four. Jim was able to get his mount into a good rhythm almost immediately, with market rivals Eligible and Al Messila just racing in his slipstream. As they turned down the hill Shawaaheq injected some pace into the race and, although he got his rivals immediately off the bridle, he couldn’t quite shake them off, and maintained a lead of just three-quarters of a length as they turned for home.
However, once they turned for home it became quickly apparent that Shawaaheq had a little more up his sleeve, and he was always holding the challenges of his three rivals, ultimately finishing three-quarters of a length clear of the runner-up Al Messila.
The victory continued the fine progress of this likeable gelding, who did not make his debut until November of last year. On that occasion his inexperience showed, as he finished down the field at Kempton, but his sequence of results in five runs since has been entirely progressive.
He gave notice of his talents when fourth at Wolverhampton on his second and final start as a two-year-old, before demonstrating that he had improved from two to three when finishing an excellent second at Leicester on his comeback. He was presented with a good opportunity to break his maiden at Beverley in mid-June, and made no mistake, before finishing a fine second in a competitive seven-furlong handicap at Chelmsford on his fifth career appearance.
Yesterday’s victory confirmed the pre-race impression we had that a step up to a mile would be of benefit, and given that his mother was Listed-placed over a mile and a quarter and that his half-brother Qawamees has recently won over a mile and a half, he might yet go further still. What we do know for certain is that we have a tough and consistent horse on our hands, who always gives of his best. He is not over-big, but makes up for any lack of size through courage, determination and talent. Hopefully he will be capable of adding a third victory to his CV before the season is out.
We send our warmest congratulations to Shawaaheq’s loyal owner Hamdan Al Maktoum and thank all the staff in the yard for their continued hard work during this extremely busy part of the season.