Shadwell homebreds Faatinah and Moqla, both foaled and raised at Yarraman Park, tasted stakes success at Morphettville on Saturday. Expensive colt Sooboog will have to wait for another day to claim a Black Type victory with under-rated Nicconi gelding Faatinah holding him off to win the Group II SAJC Euclase Stakes. Trained by David Hayes and Tom Dabernig, Faatinah won his last start at the same venue when resuming from a spell but was stepping up sharply in grade. He rose to the challenge, racing up on the pace and fighting on with great determination to win the 1200 metre sprint by a long neck over $1.5 million Snitzel colt Sooboog. “I think he’s a potential Group I sprinter,” Hayes said of Faatinah. “He’s never quite shown us in races what he does in trackwork. “He was exposed a long way from here today and I thought he won well. “In 12 months time I’m sure there will be Group I winners come out of this race, it’s a genuine Group II race.” Three-year-olds will carry 52.5kg in the Group I Goodwood Handicap over 1200m in two weeks time and Hayes said he would consider his options. “It will be tempting if he eats up and comes out of the race in good order,” Hayes said. “We’ll look at it for sure but he’s done a good job to get this far and he’s got more improvement to come.” Faatinah is the best of four winners from imported Danehill mare Alqwah (IRE), who comes from the family of NZ Horse of the Year King’s Chapel. She has a weanling colt by Denman and missed last year to Medaglia D’Oro (USA). Earlier in the day two year-old Exceed and Excel filly Moqla won the Listed SAJC Queen Adelaide Stakes, her second win from four starts. She is the best of three winners from Bahja, a Zabeel half-sister to stakes-winner Ghareeb and to the dams of Group I winners Rewaaya, Ertijaal and Group winners Mushreq and Sharnee Rose. Bahja has a weanling colt by Redoute’s Choice but missed to Snitzel last spring.
