Dubai: Dubai Meydan Racecourse braces for its biggest meeting to date when a trio of high-quality Group 3 races fashion Thursday’s mouth-watering Dubai World Cup Carnival card.
While the centrepiece of the evening’s action is the $250,000 (Dh918,250) UAE 2000 Guineas, an iconic 1,600m contest on the all-weather that has thrown up a range of champions like Street Cry, Victory Moon, Asiatic Boy and Musir, the $200,000 Al Shindagha Sprint and $200,000 Firebreak Stakes are equally appealing given the depth of the respective fields.
Godolphin handler Saeed Bin Surour is seeking a fifth success in the Guineas, the second Classic of the season, and saddles two runners including Emirates Flyer, winner of the 1,400m trial four weeks ago, and the Australian import Paximadia, a Group 2 victory on turf.
Bin Surour, who is the leading Carnival trainer, said of his duo: “Emirates Flyer won the trial and this race is the next logical step for him. He has been working well and a mile should be no problem, although he is coming up against tougher opposition this time.
“I like Paximadia. He always shows speed in his work in the mornings. He has run some nice races in Australia and this looks a good starting point for him,” he told the stable’s website.
Safety Check was a promising second to Emirates Flyer in the Trials and renews the rivalry for fellow Godolphin handler Charlie Appleby, who also saddles another interesting Northern Hemisphere import in Long Jong.
“We will learn a lot about Long John who shows little at home but we were warned that would be the case as he was the same in Australia,” the trainer revealed. “He won the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas before contesting the Cox Plate so his form is excellent. Hopefully he can show a similar level of form
“Safety Check ran very well in the trial and will definitely appreciate the longer trip. He won over 1,600m at Newmarket and is well drawn so he has plenty in his favour.”
The Godolphin quartet face seven rivals among them Wednaan, one of three horses entered by South African training whiz Mike de Kock, who has sent out a record five winners of the race including Soft Falling Rain twelve months ago.
“He is a horse we have always really liked,” said De Kock. “He was a big baby when he won and his lack of experience is a definite concern. He was sick when he arrived here, so missed the trial but hopefully he will run well.”
Several decorated speedballs line up to contest the Al Shindagha Sprint, a long-range prep for the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) on Dubai World Cup night.
Among them is Dhruba Selvaratnam’s Dubawi Stakes victor United Color, who was fifth in last year’s Golden Shaheen and former Golden Shaheen scorer Krypton Factor from Bahrain.
James Doyle continues his association with United Color and issued an up-beat assessment of the Jebel Ali Stables-trainer sprinters chances: “It was a good win last time when everything fell right for us. This looks a stronger race but we have a good draw so we can hopefully be competitive.”
Krypton Factor has to overcome a tough draw (stall 14) if he hopes to lay down the sprinting marker and announce himself to be a contender for all the big races once again. British champion jockey Richard Hughes is an interesting booking on the Fawzi Nass-trained six-year-old.
Meanwhile Variety Club, the South African Horse of the Year in 2012 and 2013, makes his UAE debut in the Firebreak Stakes.
A winner of eight straight races in his career, the Joey Ramsden-trained star faces eight rivals as he preps for a shot at the $1 million Godolphin Mile (G2) on Dubai World Cup day.
