Article posted on -  2/19/2008 11:47:10 PM

Linngari at trackwork yesterday morning

LINNGARI FAVOURED FOR AL FAHIDI FORT

The only Group 2 Thoroughbred race in the UAE outside Super Thursday and Dubai World Cup night, the Al Fahidi Fort has been dominated by the internationals in recent years. The last five renewals have all gone abroad with South Africa winning four times.

The last two renewals have seen Herman Brown’s Linngari prevail and he seeks his place in the record books with a third win. Two years ago, he had won the Al Rashidiya before running in this race – the only time one of the five international winners had the advantage of a previous run that season.

Mike De Kock has won with both Ipi Tombe and Yard-Arm, on their local debuts, but both his runners this year, Admiralofthefleet and Archipenko, have had a run this season. Both De Kock’s winners carried Group 1 penalties, as does Linngari this year.

Ireland won it in 2004 with D’Anjou and their challenger, Lord Admiral, won the Al Rashidiya last time, as had Linngari two years ago. He was second in this in 2006 and sixth last year so would need to become the first international winner previously beaten in the race.

The draw is no help as the eight winners have all been berthed in different stalls (5, 10 and 11 are yet to win) and Yard-Arm overcame the widest draw (12) in 2005.

UAE debutant Danak, being five, could be the best of the local challenge and represents the same age group as Yard-Arm and Ipi Tombe who both made a winning local bow in this race.

Five-year-old Royal Oath also fits the same criteria but no UK-trained runners have won this race to date. Four and five-year-olds have both won the race three times.

Linngari would be the first six-year-old to win the race but has to go close, while the De Kock pair of Admiralofthefleet and Archipenko, both four-year-olds, give South Africa a strong hand in a race they have dominated.