He has his quirks, but Godolphin's Al Hudaiba (Dark Angel) also has a big engine as he proved when inching out Abraham Lincoln (Wootton Bassett) in Saturday's G2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket.Providing Charlie Appleby with a remarkable seventh renewal since 2016, the grey who has the rarity of an unseat in his form figures was delivered expertly and late by William Buick to swoop on Ballydoyle's green 8-13 favourite in the nick of time. At the line, a short head separated the two errant colts, with 1 1/4 lengths back to the Chesham fifth Pikachu (Frankel) in third.Al Hudaiba, who in between two wins here over six furlongs on the Rowley Mile and over this track and trip had jinked and unshipped Tom Marquand with another novice at his mercy at Yarmouth, rates as one of the least straightforward of Appleby's Superlative seven. “He has a lot of talent, but it's a job to stay on him let alone get him to gallop out,” joked his trainer. “Even at home he's like that and it's credit to the lads, as he puts some shapes in!”“I was confident once he put his head down and started to rally, as he has got a lot of ability,” he added of the 5-2 second favourite. “I hope he'll grow out of it, but whether we put something on his head or not we'll have to see–if he starts stepping up into the bigger leagues, he's going to have to start concentrating harder. To be fair, Will did say that he was feeling the ground out there so I would imagine the [Vincent O'Brien] National Stakes will be the most likely target. We'll see what comes out in the next few weeks and see what else we've got.”A 7⃣th Superlative Stakes for Charlie Appleby! Al Hudaiba gets up in the final stride to mug the wandering Abraham Lincoln (traded 1.04 in running) in the Group 2 contest.The winner has been cut into 16/1 for the 2,000 Guineas.@godolphin | @WilliamBuickX | @Boodles pic.twitter.com/XeaW8PbUZY— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 11, 2026The post Al Hudaiba Gives Appleby A Seventh Superlative appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.