Linngari prevails in Duty Free prep

Linngari overcame an unusually rain-softened turf course at Nad Al Sheba on Thursday to land the Group 2, $250,000 Al Fahidi Fort, the next-to-last prep for the $5 million Dubai Duty Free on March 25.

Linngari tracked the pace before taking command under Kevin Shea at the three-sixteenths pole. He then drew clear to defeat Lord Admiral by 2 1/4 lengths, with Holiday Camp 1 1/4 lengths farther back in third. The time for the mile on ground labeled good was 1:40.20.

"The plan is now to head straight for the Dubai Duty Free," said winning trainer Herman Brown.

The final local Duty Free prep, the Group 2 Jebel Hatta, will be run next Thursday.