Linngari wins Duty Free prep

Linngari led virtually throughout at Nad Al Sheba on Thursday night to take the Group 3, $200,000 Al Rashidiya, the first of three local preps for the $5 million Dubai Duty Free on March 25.

A 4-year-old Irish-bred Indian Ridge colt, Linngari dueled early with Alayan before taking over under Ryan Moore at the five-sixteenths pole. He held on to defeat the fast-closing Greys Inn by a half-length, getting the 1 1/8 miles in an indifferent 1:51.27 on a turf course labeled good to firm. Latino Magic was another length behind in third, with Trademark fourth.

* The second annual Global Sprint Challenge gets under way at Flemington in Australia on Saturday when Hong Kong raider Cape of Good Hope will be the lone foreign challenger in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes, a five-furlong dash worth $375,000.