Dubai: One could not have asked for a better start to the $26 million (Dh95.6 million) Dubai World Cup race meeting as 11 Group 1 winners kickstart action in the Dubai Kahayla Classic (Group 1), sponsored by Emaar.
If the final race of the night is the World Cup for thoroughbreds, this opening race over 10 furlongs is considered the World Cup for Purebred Arabians and out of the 14 runners in the fray, 11 are Group 1 winners while the remaining three have consistently run at the highest level to make the 2011 running a truly fascinating contest.
Trainer Gillian Duffield and jockey Richard Hills have won the Kahayla four times each and attempt their fifth with No Risk Al Maury, the highest-rated runner who finished second to Jaafer last year.
No Risk Al Maury started as favourite last year, but could not match Jaafer's finish and comes into this race after finishing a shock third in the Maktoum Challenge (Group 1) on the Super Thursday, the prep event.
Big threat
Two five-year-old half brothers Nieshan and Albar Lotois from trainer Eric Lemartinel's yard in Abu Dhabi outclassed No Risk Al Maury and are back to try and repeat that feat on the big day. The two are joined by another five-year-old half brother Seraphin Du Paon and the three sons of Akbar will pose the biggest threat to the nine-year-old No Risk Al Maury's attempt to Kahayla glory.
While Nieshan, under Christophe Lemaire, has already scored on his debut here, the Philippe Barbe-trained Seraphin Du Paon, winner of the Dh1 million President's Cup on Abu Dhabi turf, looks be in red hot form. If Seraphin Du Paon can take the atmosphere and the draw 13 in his stride he could be the one to beat as he has shown great acceleration in his three runs in Abu Dhabi.
Stablemates
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, has won the Kahayla six times and apart from No Risk Al Maury also races Kandar Du Falgas, Nirwan and Paris Gagner, trained by Doug Watson, and the Erwan Charpy-trained Santhal.
While Santhal won the Second Round of the Maktoum Challenge last month, Kandar Du Falgas is a two-time Group 1 winner and will be ridden by Tadhg O'Shea, who is battling to retain the UAE jockey's championship.
Jockey Wayne Smith, one ahead of O'Shea in the jockey's championship, rides Dariya, another Group 1 winner, who could provide an upset, while 2009 Kahayla winner Fryvolous and Dynamite, the first UAE-bred horse to win Group 1 races, add quality to the contest while Dutch raider Periander (trained by Duffield) could cap a fairy-tale run of success.
Doubtful of securing an invite for today's Kahayla, owner Margaretha De Ruiter-Floor ran him in the Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday to win the Group 1 race on Turf.
Winning jockey Adrie de Vries, who rode Jaafer to the Kahayla win last year persuaded Margaretha to run him again and the 7-year-old grey could end up spoiling the UAE's party.
GULF NEWS SELECTIONS
- A: Seraphin Du Paon
- B: No Risk Al Maury
- C: Nieshan
- Upset: Periander
Sponsored By Emaar
4:35pm / Purebred Arabians - Group I / 2000M (A10F) - All-Weather/ $250,000
