Dubai: Three Group One races provide the quality at Super Saturday on Saturday, where an exciting eight-race card is expected to produce plenty of clues relating to the much-anticipated Dubai World Cup meeting in three weeks time.
The official feature is the third and final round of the Al Maktoum Challenge, a Group 1 event run over the dirt course and 2,000m distance as the $10 million (Dh36.7 million) Dubai World Cup, and which has produced three winners of the March 28 showpiece.
Godolphin handler Saeed Bin Surour has been responsible for all three - Dubai Millennium (2000), Street Cry (2002) and Electrocutionist (2006) - and saddles two in a bid to bag an eleventh trophy.
African Story was a sensational winner of the Dubai World Cup 12 months ago on the synthetic track, but did not appear to enjoy the new dirt surface, when scrambling home in seventh place behind Frankyfourfingers in the Group 2 middle round of the Al Maktoum Challenge over 1900m.
On the contrary, African Story’s stable companion, Prince Bishop, ran an absolute blinder in the same race to finish second, only a head behind the winner.
Bin Surour’s stable jockey, James Doyle, rides African Story with William Buick aboard Prince Bishop.
“African Story did not like the kickback on his last run at Meydan, which was disappointing,” said Bin Surour. “But he’s capable of much better and deserves another chance to prove that he can handle the surface.
“Perhaps he needs to be ridden differently, to avoid the kickback, and if so I believe he will run a big race.
“Prince Bishop ran well last time and we were very pleased with him,” continued Bin Suroor. “He was finishing strongly on that occasion and the extra 100m will suit him. He has always run well in Dubai and is also going very well at home.”
The Salem Bin Ghadayer-trained Frankyfourfingers, will bid to become only the third horse after Prince Bish and Hunter’s Light to win the second and third rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge.
Leading UAE handler Doug Watson’s Dubai World Cup hopes rest with Henry Clay and Storm Belt and the in-form handler said: “Both remain fit and well and we are pleased with them. They deserve a chance in this illustrious company and we know conditions suit them both.
“We are really looking forward to it.”
The Group 1 Jebel Hatta, a prep for the Dubai Turf, looks set up for South African handler Mike de Kock’s Vercingetorix, last year’s impressive winner.
“Vercingetorix is in top order and must have a big chance of repeating last year’s win,” said De Kock. “These are his optimum conditions and we expect another very big run from him.”
De Kock also saddles Anaerobio, Flying The Flag, Sanshaawes and Johann Strauss.
Bin Surour relies on multiple Group 1 winner Hunter’s Light who has won both his Meydan starts and who looks the main danger.
“He has won both his starts well this year and this race has been the target since his second win,” said Bin Surour. “Obviously this is a much stronger contest but we would really like to win another Group One with him.
“His work has been very good and he should produce another good effort.”
Saturday’s card also features prep races for the two big sprints on World Cup night, the Mahab Al Shimaal and Meydan Sprint, both Group 3 events, and the Arabian version of the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3.
