Muhaarar, Redstart Win Newbury Classic Trials

Muhaarar stamped himself as a horse for the English or French Guineas with course record-setting win at Newbury in the AON Greenham Stakes (Eng-III) April 18.

Facing a high-quality field that includes last year's European champion 2-year-old Belardo, 16-1 shot Muhaarar relaxed off the early pace before joining frontrunner Estidhkaar a furlong out and besting that rival by a neck in record 1:20 4/5 for the seven furlongs on firm turf.

Estidhkaar's stablemate Ivawood, the 13-2 favorite, was third, and Irish group I winner Dick Whittington was fourth. Belardo wound up eighth in the nine-horse field.

"He's a good horse," winning jockey Frankie Dettori told Racing Post of Muhaarar. "They went a good pace and he settled—that was the key today. I hit the front and he started to look around a bit, but the line came in time. He's got a lot of speed so the team will have to sit down and decide where to go."

Muhaarar has won half of his six career starts, including his victory in the Aug. 23 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes (Eng-II). He followed that with a third behind Charming Thought and Ivawood in the Oct. 17 Middle Park Stakes (Eng-I) at Newmarket to conclude his juvenile campaign.

"Frankie thinks the French Guineas (Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Fr-I, May 10 at Longchamp) would suit him well, and it will be Sheikh Hamdan's decision," trainer Charlie Hills said. "The Two Thousand Guineas ( Eng-I, May 2, at Newmarket) has to be on the agenda too, but we need to discuss it."

A homebred for Sheikh Hamdan, Muhaarar is by Oasis Dream out of the stakes-placed Linamix mare Tahrir, a full sister to French stakes winner and group III-placed Mister Charm and a half sister to French group III winner Mister Sacha. Muhaarar is a half brother to stakes winner Sajwah.

Also on the card, Redstart won the fillies' equivalent, the Dubai Duty Free Stakes (Eng-III, registered as the Fred Darling Stakes), giving trainer Ralph Beckett a fourth win in the race, while champion Tiggy Wiggy checked in third as the hot favorite.

Racing close to the early pace in her stakes debut, Redstart hit the front inside the final quarter mile and repelled a challenge from runner-up Jellicle Ball to win by three-quarters of a length. The triumph, under Pat Dobbs, was her second from three career starts.

Tiggy Wiggy, the 11-10 favorite, was up for a lackluster third, 1 3/4 lengths back.

Beckett previously won the race with Moonstone Magic (2012), Puff (2010), and Penkenna Princess (2005). He had penciled in the German One Thousand Guineas (Ger-II) May 31 for Redstart, but told Racing Post the QIPCO One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) May 3 at Newmarket was now the target for his filly, who becomes the first group winner for sire Cockney Rebel.

A homebred of A. D. G. Oldrey, Redstart is out of the winning Pursuit of Love mare Ecstasy.