Sport | Horse Racing
Harty Well Armed for World Cup
Trainer Eoin Harty is Well Armed in his bid to have 'as big a piece of the pie as possible' of the $6 million Dubai World Cup on March 29.
- By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
- Published: 00:34 March 25, 2008
Dubai: Trainer Eoin Harty is Well Armed in his bid to have 'as big a piece of the pie as possible' of the $6 million Dubai World Cup on March 29.
Expressing happiness over the way his star campaigner worked out yesterday morning at the Nad Al Sheba, Harty told Gulf News, "So far so good. Well Armed has done nothing wrong so far. I just wanted him to go an easy half mile, which he did. He galloped out strong. He's very fit and he's sound."
Harty, who arrived on Sunday from California, is pinning his hopes on the five-year-old gelding by Tizlow, who has returned a much better horse than the one that raced here during the 2006 Carnival.
"I am pleased with the way he has been working. However it is a matter whether he is good enough on the big night."
Big race
"Curlin is the horse to beat but with $6 million on offer, every runner is a strong contender," said Harty, who has been involved as a conditioner of Godolphin's juveniles and has a hand in preparing two Dubai World Cup winners- Silver Charm and Street Cry.
Well Armed comes to the Dubai World Cup on the back of his win in the $250,000 San Antonio Handicap on February 9, 2008. Under Clive Brittain Well Armed ran thrice here, winning once in the Carnival before failing to impress in the UAE Derby (Group 2) which was won by Discreet Cat.
"I am looking at Well Armed running a big race on Saturday. With $6 million on offer I want as bigger a piece of the pie as possible. He has run here before and the lights do not bother him," said Harty, a fifth-generation horseman whose father Eddie took part in the Three-day event in the Olympics and also won the Grand National steeplechase.
Ready to run
The 46-year-old trainer admitted that Well Armed was the only older horse in his yard that was worthy of running on the big night. "He is the best older horse I have and the others are not good enough to be here. However if you know someone who has some good bloodstock send them my way and I will come back with a large contingent for the Carnival next year," Harty said.
Commenting on the Dubai World Cup day meeting and the feature race, Harty said, "Curlin is the one to beat. The others are also here to do well. The Godolphin runners are the ones to be afraid of.
"They always come ready to run."
Owned by Bill Casner, of WinStar Farm, Well Armed skipped the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 1 to be here for the Dubai World Cup and on Saturday the Harty runner will face the biggest test of his career.
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