Australian bred mare Mahbooba was an impressive winner of the Al Rashidiya Trial (1800m) at Meydan on Thursday night.

Trained by Mike de Kock, she tracked the leader Sea Lord until the 300m point before clearing out on the turf track to score by more than four lengths from Laajooj (Azamour).

“She was good on the all-weather last year but seems just as good on the turf,” winning jockey Christophe Soumillon said.  “We should have plenty of options with her and she is an ideal sort for the carnival.”

Mahbooba (5m Galileo – Sogha by Red Ransom) is from the last Australian-bred crop of Coolmore champion Galileo and her dam Sogha won races at Muswellbrook and Scone for Kris Lees.  The mare was covered by Dylan Thomas in 2008 and was exported to Argentina in March 2009.

A homebred for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa, she was exported to South Africa and won on debut at Greyville in March 2010.  De Kock stepped her up for a G2 victory in the Debutante Stakes at Scottsville and the G1 Golden Slipper at Greyville..

Sent to Dubai this time last year, she was a Listed winner of the UAE 1000 Guineas before placings behind Godolphin filly Khawlah in the G3 UAE Oaks and G2 UAE Derby.

Mahbooba stayed in training for a six length victory in the LR Godolphin Stakes at Newmarket in September prior to an unplaced effort in the G1 E P Taylor Stakes at Woodbine in October.