Al Shemali pulls shocker in Dubai Duty Free

When Tam Lin packed it in turning into the stretch, Take the Points and his

American compatriots took up the running. Al Shemali then saw utter daylight. In

by far the finest hour of his career, the six-year-old uncorked a devastating

change of gear to sweep past them.

Bankable, also a son of Medicean, sliced through the field in swashbuckling

style, but Al Shemali was long gone. The winner maintained a 1 1/2-length margin

at the line. Bankable was a clear second by 3 1/4 lengths over Imbongi (Russian

Revival). The Usual Q. T. salvaged fourth from Take the Points, followed by

Lahaleeb (Ire) (Redback); Ibn Battuta (Seeking the Gold); Good Ba Ba (Lear Fan);

Courageous Cat; Calvados Blues; the well-regarded Presvis (Sakhee), who was stopped cold when commencing

his run from the clouds and never recovered; Snaafy (Kingmambo); Confront (Nayef);

Alexandros; Justenuffhumor; and the tailed-off Tam Lin.

"It was a pleasant surprise but the stable had been in terrific form and I

knew he'd stay," Ffrench admitted. "It was the case of getting a clear split and

we got it. It's the most prestigious win of my career."

Al Shemali, who advanced his line to 18-4-1-3, $3,242,235, had not managed to

place in a stakes since 2007. Then trained by Sir Michael Stoute, he finished

third to subsequent Derby (Eng-G1) hero Authorized in the Dante S. (Eng-G2) and

missed by a head in the Hampton Court S. He was transferred to Godolphin for his

2008 campaign, winning a Nad al Sheba handicap but failing to score thereafter.

In 2009, Al Shemali joined Mubarak bin Shafya, for whom he raced only twice

without success.

Reappearing off a year-long layoff in his debut for al Raihe in February, he

finished fifth in a handicap at this course and distance. Al Shemali snapped a

two-year winless streak next time out in a February 19 handicap on Tapeta. He

stepped up in class for the March 4 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (UAE-G2), where he

reported home sixth behind Red Desire (Manhattan Cafe).

Bred by Minster Stud in Great Britain, Al Shemali is out of the English

stakes-placed Bathilde (Ire) (Generous). He is a half-brother to Group 2-winning

stayer Tungsten Strike (Smart Strike), and he comes from the family of multiple

South African Group 1 heroine Bad Girl Runs (Western Winter) and multiple Dubai

Group 3 victress Deem (Dalakhani), who just finished fourth in Saturday's Dubai

Sheema Classic (UAE-G1).