Dubai raid on newly-upgraded Tercentenary Stakes

As many as six horses with Dubai connections will contest the Group 3 Tercentenary Stakes, a race which has a interesting history and has this year been renamed to mark Royal Ascot's 300th anniversary. Formerly run as the Hampton Court Stakes the 2,000 metre race has previously had several different names including the Churchill Stakes, the Milcars Conditions Stakes and the New Stakes. It was first included at Royal Ascot in 2002, when the meeting was extended to five days to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, and was run as the Hampton Court Stakes with Listed status. Last year the race was won by Afsare, which raced in the colours of Shaikh Mohammad Obaid Al Maktoum. Among this year's hopefuls are the Godolphin-trained duo of Junter's Light (Saeed Bin Surour) and Laajooj (Mahmoud Al Zarouni). Richard Hills, who aboard the winner Zaham in 2002, rides Tazahum who like Zaham is owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance. Three other horses, Ahlaain, Happy Today and Maalirace race under the Rabbah Bloodstock banner. Ahlaain is owned by Sultan Ali, Happy Today by Jaber Abdullah and Maali bu Saeed Manana. Of the sextet Tazahum and Laajooj look to have the best credentials and are likely to vie for favouritism. The former has won three of his four starts, including his last two, while Laajooj comes into the race on the back of an impressive Listed race success at Newmarket last month. From/ gulfnews.