Curlin delivers another brilliant piece of work

Dubai: American Horse of the Year Curlin completed his final work for Saturday's $6million Dubai World Cup (Gr 1) with a performance at Nad Al Sheba racecourse on Monday morning that had brilliance written all over it.

The Breeders' Cup winner has been flourishing ever since he arrived in Dubai last month and yesterday's drill showed him to be at the peak of his powers.

With exercise rider Carmen Carlos Rosas in the saddle, Curlin breezed 800 metres in 50.16 and galloped out 1,000 metres in 1:06.18.

Scott Blasi, who has been overseeing the horse's preparations in Dubai for trainer Steve Asmussen, was pleased as punch.

"He's physically ready to do what we are going to ask him to do on Saturday," Blasi declared while stressing the importance of have an exercise rider like Rosas in the saddle.

"Carlos is irreplaceable," Blasi told the Sportinglife. "Every time I ask him to do something with him it is right on. It is a team effort all the way round.

"He's physically ready to do what we are going to ask him to do on Saturday," Blasi declared.

Winning formula

Curlin is being prepared in the same way he was before the Breeders' Cup in sensational fashion on a sloppy track.

Also on the gallops yesterday morning was Great Hunter who underwent a light canter for Tony Romero, an exercise rider for trainer Doug O'Neill.

Romero said he backed J. Paul Reddam's four-year-old colt up to the 2,000-metre mark and had him gallop once around the track. "He felt perfect," Romero said on the Dubai Racing Club website.

"He's pretty happy," said the exercise rider. "He's acting pretty good."

US based trainer Julio Canani was also on hand to watch Spring House gallop once around the main track.

"He's a nice horse," Canani said. "He's a six-year-old, but he's a baby," Canani said.