Pride of Dubai Sprinter Wins G3 Rising Fast

A stakes-winner at two and three, talented sprinter Maharba (4g Pride of Dubai x Blizzardly, by More Than Ready) is also now a stakes-winner at four producing a tenacious effort at Flemington on Saturday to win the Group III VRC Rising Fast Stakes (1200m).

Trained by Grahame Begg and ridden by Jordan Childs, Maharba was an encouraging third at his first run back from a spell to Bellatrix Star in the Group II MRC Schillaci Stakes last month and took benefit from the run.

He hit the front with 200m to run and held off all the challengers to win by a head in a thriller.

"We thought this was a race that would be very well suited to him, under the sort of conditions of the race. He came out and ran third, first up in a Group Two weight-for-age, and he wasn't really ready that day, he had a lot of improvement to come, but we feel he's come up very, very well,” said Grahame Begg, who has nominated the gelding for the $1.5million Group I WATC Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) in Perth on November 30.

"He was weighted right up to his best today, but look, he's trained on beautifully since and still got a little bit of improvement to come. His coat's not 100% quite right yet, and he was very well ridden by Jordan. He took the right option, took the trail, and was very strong late."

Jordan Childs has been a regular partners for Maharba and believes he’s come back in great order at four.

"I think he's just improved and strengthened up a lot and matured as well. He's always been a nice horse, but ever since he's come back this time in, his jump outs, his track work, he's just gone to another level and obviously winning a decent race like that today on Derby Day definitely adds another string to his bow, hopefully he can keep going forward,” Childs said.

A half-brother to Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Unencumbered, Maharba was bred by Newhaven Park and runs for Garry and Marianne Towzell and has the overall record of four wins and five placings from 13 starts with prizemoney topping $640,000.

Maharba is the seventh winner from eight foals to race from stakes-winning More Than Ready mare Blizzardly, who has a yearling colt by Churchill.

Blizzardly was on-sold through Inglis Digital in 2022 and made just $1250 when bought by Doug Walker, who bred the Churchill colt and he has a bit to look forward to as she appears to be in foal to Pride of Dubai.

Maharba is the sixth Australian stakes-winner this season for Pride of Dubai, who is leading the Australian General Sires List by earnings.