Linngari Holds The Fort

Kevin Shea was seen at his very best on Herman Brown's Linngari as the pair became the first to record successive victories in the Group Two Al Fahidi Fort, the mile grass feature at Nad Al Sheba last night.

Unable to get to the front, Shea sat in midfield as Celtic Silence set off like a scalded cat in front.

Shea sat motionless until three furlongs out and was able to ease his mount to the front two furlongs out, after which he was never going to be caught

Seihali and Kapil ran on to take the minor placings but a delighted Shea said: 'What a horse and he has certainly improved from last year.

'We now know that we can ride him from off the pace and he is a really exciting prospect.'

Brown added: 'The Dubai Duty Free is the main target on World Cup night and that was a very pleasing effort. We hoped he had improved over the summer and he would have appeared to.

'Kevin has given him a great ride and I am pleased we waited until tonight to bring him back.'

Munaddam recorded his second success of the Carnival with victory in the extended six-furlong grass handicap in the hands of Richard Hills, who was never far off the pace on the five-year-old son of Aljabr.

When a gap opened in the straight he was able to ease his mount through and the pair kicked away to give Ed Dunlop a third win from only three runners.

Hills said: 'The slow early pace did not help and we endured traffic problems early in the straight but the gap opened he quickened well. He is progressing.'

(C) PA Sport