AL Fahad (AUS) ran on gamely on his 1200m debut to get the better of two well-fancied rivals Doosra and Matador Man in a Maiden Plate at the Vaal on Tuesday.

Bred and owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai, Al Fahad (Redoute’s Choice) is one of several promising imports in the stable and Mike de Kock was impressed with this three-year-old’s opening performance.

Al Fahad, bred for further.

“We have a number of talented three-year-olds in the yard,  we’re starting to step them out and Al Fahad is one of them.  He’s a nice type of horse with lots of scope and 1200m is his minimum trip, he’s from a mare by Zabeel and should go a mile or more.

“I’d like to believe the form of this race will prove to be strong.  There was talk for the second horse Doosra, he ran a cracking race, while Matador Man came into the race with form. There was 11 lengths to the fourth horse and that points to what could be a powerful formline.

“Al Fahad has been showing us good work and we thought that he could go on and win first time out if he was good enough, and he proved it. “

Nikki can win again soon.

Anthony Delpech, who rode Al Fahad, was back in the winner’s enclosure for the yard on Mary Slack’s filly Fort Wood filly Nikki, who fought off the challengers in a MR76 Handicap over 1400m.

Nikki has taken a bit of time to win her second race, but she’s versatile and Mike commented: “”Nikki can win again, I think she is better than her rating. I like the way she won today.”