Dubai: Trainer Mark Johnston looks to have a particularly strong hand in the first Classics of the British season this weekend where he saddles leading chances in both the English 2,000 (G1) and English 1,000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket, England.
The Middleham handler saddles Godolphin-owned Buratino in the colt’s Classic on Saturday and Lumiere, who is owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, in Sunday’s fillies’ race.
Both races, which carry equal prize money of £350,000 (Dh1.8 million), have attracted several strong contenders with Dubai connections.
Buratino is a 14/1 chance behind the odds-on favourite Air Force Blue (4/6) who brings to the 1,600 metre contest a record of four wins from five starts — one of which came in the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes (G1) last October.
However, Buratino is certainly no slouch and prides himself on having a greater racecourse experience with eight appearances including four wins, among them being a two-length victory over Air Force Blue in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot last summer.
“He won the Coventry Stakes, over six furlongs at Royal Ascot last June, but I never saw him as an out-and-out sprinter,” Johnston told the Godolphin website.
“He has been working well since his first gallops early in the year. He is a very easy horse and has done very well in a couple of racecourse gallops, over seven and one mile.”
Other likely Dubai representatives in the race include a pair representing Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance and Industry, the Owen Barrows-trained Massaat and John Gosden’s Taqdeer,
Godolphin may also run Herald The Dawns, who is prepared by Jim Bolger in Ireland, and the Richard Fahey-trained Ribechester.
Dubai businessman Abdullah Al Mansouri takes his chances with the Simon Crisford-trained First Selection.
Johnston won the English 1,000 Guineas in 2004 with the exciting Attraction and bids for a repeat victory with last season’s Cheveley Park (G1) sensation Lumiere.
The Shamaradaal filly is an attractive 9/2 second favourite behind dual Group 1 winning Minding, who races out of Aidan O’Brien’s all-powerful stables in Ireland.
Lumiere however, is unexposed over distances beyond seven furlongs, but Johnston is not worried.
“While some sceptics question her getting one mile, I am not one of them.” he told the Godolphin website. “There is no doubt in my mind that she will stay the trip.
“She has so much early speed, I can see why some may doubt her, but I can report she has been very settled in her work at home.
“Lumiere is one of my favourites. She is right up there in my top three two-year-olds of all time, now we shall see if she can graduate to the same bracket as a three-year-old. She is already a G1 winner, and a very exciting filly.”
Other horses with Dubai connections include Godolphin’s Fireglow, who is trained by Mick Channon, Shaikh Obaid Al Maktoum’s Sharjah Queen and the Abdullah Saeed al Naboodah-owned Nathra.
Latest Odds
Newmarket, England
English 2,000 Guineas (G1)
Saturday, April 30
Air Force Blue 4/6, Stormy Antarctic 13/2, Buratino 14, Marcel 14, Massaat 14, Blue De Vega 22, Galileo Gold 25, Herald The Dawn 33, Air Vice Marshal 40, Taqdeer 40, Bravery 66, First Selection 66, Ribchester 66, Zonderland 66, Shogun 80, Zhui Feng 100, Kentuckyconnection 250.
English 1,000 Guineas
Sunday May 1
Minding (6/4)in, Lumiere (9/2), Ballydoyle (13/2)out, Nathra (10), Alice Springs (20)in, Turret Rocks (20), Illuminate (25)out, Jet Setting (25)in, Midweek (33), Mix And Mingle (33)in, Robanne (33), Blue Bayou (50)out, Sharja Queen (66), Aljazzi (80)out, Ashadihan (80)out, Fireglow (80)out, Epsom Icon (150)
