In the colours of Mohamed bin Abdulla Abdulaziz Nasser al-Attiyah, Al Fahdaa went from pillar to post to win the Fillies’ Novice Stakes at Kempton in the United Kingdom on Friday evening. Trained by Richard Hannon, she came into her second career start as an outsider, having finished 8th of 8 on her debut when very green.
However, the bay filly took away a valuable lesson that day, and was smartly away in this seven-furlong race on the all-weather track. She was able to make use of her big athletic action to lead at a good pace. She pulled clear by three lengths when still a furlong from the post before her inexperience began to show as she weakened in the finish. Shine For You, also trained by Hannon, came with a very strong finish, nearly catching Al Fadaa on the line. However, under jockey Thore Hammer Hansen, Al Fahdaa held her off to win by a short head. The two fillies finished four lengths and three quarters in front of the third, Canoodled.