Sport | Horse Racing
Choctaw better prepared now
American trainer Jeff Mullins is hoping that Choctaw Nation's improved fitness will lead to a big effort in Saturday's Dubai World Cup (Group 1).
- Staff Report
- Published: 23:32 May 3, 2009
Dubai: American trainer Jeff Mullins is hoping that Choctaw Nation's improved fitness will lead to a big effort in Saturday's Dubai World Cup (Group 1).
Choctaw Nation was a competitive third to Roses In May in last year's race, finishing just four-and-a-quater lengths behind the winner.
California-based Mullins believes that the six-year-old gelding is better prepared for this year's race than what he was 12 months ago.
"Choctaw is a lot fitter this year," Mullins said yesterday morning after watching the six-year-old, by Louis Quatorze, work at Nad Al Sheba.
Choctaw Nation will run in the colours of leading UAE owner Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum who acquired the horse in a private sale from former owner Robert Bone.
The well-built horse has raced twice this year, once unplaced in the San Gabriel Handicap (Group 2) at Santa Anita on New Year's Day and most recently when winning an allowance race by four lengths at the same course.
Mullins pointed out that Choctaw Nation might have been short of a run coming into last year's Dubai World Cup, having run just once in the seven-furlong San Carlos Handicap (Grade 2).
Mullins also saddles sprinter Captain Squire in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (Group 1), sponsored by Gulf News.
The seven-year-old gelding is returning to Dubai after a gap of three years, having run third to UAE-trained State City in the same race.
Mullins says Captain Squire "is sounder now than he's ever been."
Both Choctaw Nation and Captain Squire are scheduled to work today in the preparations for Saturday's big race meeting.
Choctaw Nation is slated to breeze six furlongs, while Captain Squire will go half a mile. Although he said he did not have a clear picture of how the fields for each race were shaping up, Mullins said he was not concerned about the competition or strategy.
"It doesn't matter to me," he said. "They're all head to head until the gate opens. And I don't have a strategy with Choctaw he runs one way, and that's from behind. I just hope there's plenty of pace in the World Cup."
California-based jockey Victor Espinoza, who won two-thirds of the American Triple Crown with War Emblem in 2002, will ride both the Mullins runners.
Meanwhile, Mullins has some plans of his own while in Dubai.
"We're going to check out the indoor ski resort," he said, adding that he might even strap on some boots and take to the slopes at Ski Dubai.
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