President of the UAE Cup - Coupe d'Europe des Chevaux Arabes (Gr1PA

The President of the UAE Cup - Coupe d'Europe des Chevaux Arabes(Gr1PA) 2000m 4yo+ Deauville, France

DERYAN (FR) (5 h Mahabb x Haboob (Akbar)) Owner: YAS Horse Management Breeder: HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Trainer: Didier Guillemin Jockey: Ioritz Mendizabal

Given the circumstances of the restrictions on racing in Europe and the recent return to the sport in France, the first European Group 1 PA of 2020 was an eagerly anticipated event, despite there only being five runners, representing three owners. Usually held at ParisLongchamp on French Guineas day, following the review of the Covid19 ‘red zone’ in which the racecourse fell, the race and the other thoroughbred Group 1 races were transferred out of Paris to Deauville.

Ibn Gadir who has joined Didier Guillemin from Frederic Sanchez for 2020 was bustled along into an early pace-setting lead, tracked by the globetrotting Hajres with the remainder of the field in Indian file. Deryan, a distant third on his seasonal debut behind Sanchez’s Hayyan just over two weeks earlier in the Qatar Prix de l’Elevage (Gr2PA), was very keen, but was settled by Ioritz Mendizabal in fourth behind Melabi, with Shalaa in the rear.

The placings remained unaltered until entering the home straight, when Mendizabal encouraged Deryan into action. The field came wide of the rail and Ibn Gadir, choosing to race down the centre of the track, and though Melabi and Hajres were soon under pressure, Mendizabal was noticeably cautios on Deryan. He delivered the son of Mahabb on the line in a perfect waiting race, to win by a neck from Melabi and Hajres. Ioritz Mendizabal YAS Horseracing manager in France, Galop: “We are always a little afraid because he stops once in front. The tactics of the day worked well because you have to come at the last moment with him. He finally won his first Gr1PA. The two jockeys, Ioritz Mendizabal and Émilien Révolte, did a very good job. The distance of 2000m is the limit for him.

“He could aim for the Jewel Crown on the mile, the great race of the Saudi Cup because it is on the sand, or even a beautiful race for the Emirates Cup but there’s still a lot of t ime to think about it. It’s great to see UAE colours shine in the President of the UAE Cup. They are

Thierry Delegue commented to J our de loyal and precious sponsors.”

Thierry Delegue

Thomas Fourcy, trainer of the runner-up said: “Deryan was hard to beat on paper. Melabi is not yet 100%, but even at his best he would have only pushed the winner. Shalaa went to Qatar this winter and needs a holiday. It is not easy to make a program with these horses, given the difficulties to travel in Europe.”

Deryan has now won six races, including the Group 2 P A Qatar Coupe de France des Chevaux Arabes at Chantilly and two Group 3PA’s in France and Morocco.

He is by their homebred sire Mahabb, who topped the Arqana PA sale last year with a colt, Nahabb and in 2016 with the filly Maolie. His dam Haboob (by Akbar) won over 5 furlongs for Robert Litt and was runner up in the French Arabian Breeders’ Cup for threeyear-old fillies in 2007. She is also the dam of the Listed PA winner Marzooq (by Bibi De Carrere), and of Shahm, brother to Deryan, who winner of this race when it was held at ParisLongchamp in 2018. Haboob comes from an excellent sister to Salaamah (by Njewman) winner of the 2010 juvenile PA group race at DIAR over 7f. She is also a half-sister to Aliaa (by Djelfor) dam of Emirates Championship (Gr1PA) winner Abhaar and to Aryann (by Kesberoy) dam of Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 (Gr1PA) winner Naseem (by Mahabb). Another half-sister Dahwa (by Tidjani) has produced the Group 1PA winning

winner p roducing family, she is a halfbrothers Bandar and Hayyan to Munjiz.

Group 1PA winning brothers out of Dahwa, top right, Hayyan(FR) and below Bandar(FR)