Al Najashi continued his relentless climb through the handicap ranks with a fifth straight win in the BetMGM All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Handicap.
Having started the year on a lowly rating of 53, the son of Territories was lining up for Ollie Sangster with a mark 32lb higher following decisive victories at Southwell, Lingfield Park, Wolverhampton and Newcastle.
One And Gone made a bold bid from the front in the six-furlong contest, although Billy Loughnane always looked confident on 7/2 shot Al Najashi, who tracked the run of stablemate Eternal Solace before swooping into the lead over half a furlong out.
Al Najashi hit the line full of running to score by an easy two lengths over Eternal Solace (20/1), with another length and three-quarters back to Ten Carat Harry (6/1), who himself had notched four handicap wins earlier in the season.
Loughnane said: “Al Najashi has been very progressive for Ollie and his team. He has done nothing wrong since he moved into handicaps. Today was probably the first time he has had to have a proper race – and he was very good.
“The pace was honest. I probably lost a couple of lengths coming right the way across, but I thought that a few of the horses who would take me into the race were towards my right-hand side. I was confident at the furlong pole that it was going to take a good one to beat him.
“Al Najashi is built like a sprinter, so I think he is probably going to get faster the more racing he does. He has a bright future whatever happens.”
Joanna Mason, who rode Eternal Solace, said: “I spoke to Ollie beforehand and he said, ‘I think she is overpriced.’ She obviously needed the run at Kempton. They have gone a nice even pace, if not on the quicker side, and she has travelled strongly and stayed going with me.
“If anything, to be self-critical, maybe I just picked it up too early. Whether their other horse would have beaten me anyway… but it is a really pleasing run and I think we will have a lot of fun with her.”
Saffie Osborne said of Ten Carat Harry: “He is such a warrior; he has won six on the all-weather and been placed in a Listed race. It was a tough task today, carrying top weight, but hopefully he’ is going to be a fun horse moving to the turf. I think the setup of the race was perfect for him. I cannot fault him – he is an absolute trier.”
1.50pm BetMGM All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Handicap
1 Al Najashi (Ziad Al Galadari) Ollie Sangster 3-8-11 Billy Loughnane 7/2
2 Eternal Solace (The Cool Silk Partnership) 3-8-08 Joanna Mason 20/1
3 Ten Carat Harry (The Ten Club) Jamie Osborne 3-9-09 Saffie Osborne 6/1
14 ran 10/3F Silent Strike (10th)
Ollie Sangster – 1st Finals Day winner
Billy Loughnane – 1st Finals Day winner
