Native Approach battles back in Al Quoz Sprint upset

Trainer Ahmad bin Harmash’s decision to try Native Approach at about six furlongs has completely reinvigorated his career. A surprising winner of the Nad al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3) on Super Saturday at Meydan, the former Godolphin runner upset an international cast in Saturday’s $1.5 million Al Quoz Sprint (G1) and returned $65.40.

Now owned by Hamdan Harmash, Native Approach was always prominent with stable jockey Connor Beasley aboard. The headstrong son of Too Darn Hot appeared to be in the grasp of Japanese shipper Lugal, who grabbed a slim lead. But Native Approach battled back to reclaim the advantage by a neck in 1:10.02 at the end of the straight course. 

Lazzat, the 7-5 favorite stateside, boxed on another length back in a one-paced third. U.S. raider Reef Runner didn’t have the cleanest of trips in fourth, just a neck off Lazzat while edging the French distaffers Monteille and Rayevka. Next came Great Wish, Cover Up, Khaadem, Northern Champion, and Run Boy Run. Marbaan and Arabie were scratched.

Native Approach had shown talent for original trainer Charlie Appleby, notably capturing the about seven-furlong Business Bay Challenge S. here in 2024. But he failed to progress last Carnival and changed hands. His new connections initially persevered with him at that distance or a metric mile, until the inspiration came to drop him in trip. His scorecard now stands at 14-4-1-0. 

“He’s a bundle of speed,” Beasley said. “When I first sat on him at the start of the season, I said to the boss that he feels like a sprinter. He puts his heart on his sleeve every morning, he’s not easy.

“When I won on him on Super Saturday, I got a little bit of a tow into the race. Today, there was nothing able to take me so it was one of them, the more you fight with them, the more energy you’ll lose. 

“So I just got him in a nice rhythm, I let him slip away from the 400 meters and once the Japanese horse came to me, he was very determined.”

“This is the best day,” enthused Hamdan Al Mansoori, Hamdan Harmash’s racing manager. “Ahmad is very good at picking out the right races for his horses.”

Indeed, bin Harmash pulled a monumental upset of last year’s Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) with Dark Saffron, who successfully defended his title on Saturday. 

“Ahmad loves to sit with the jockeys and the owners and make a plan after the race. He came from Godolphin and is an experienced traveler, but we will see,” Al Mansoori said of potential targets.

Native Approach was the third Saturday winner bred by Godolphin and racing for other connections, after Banishing in the Godolphin Mile (G2) and Fairy Glen in the Dubai Gold Cup (G2). 

British-bred Native Approach is a three-quarter brother to Discovery Island, whose signature win came in the 2023 Burj Nahar (G3) over a metric mile on dirt. Discovery Island apparently expressed a bit more stamina from his sire, Dubawi, than Native Approach received from his sire, the Dubawi stallion Too Darn Hot. Native Approach and Discovery Island were produced by the Shamardal mare Sperry, winner of a listed stakes going a mile at York.