Linngari poised to make history

Dubai: He's already billed to contest the $5million Dubai Duty Free (Gr 1) next month, but first South Africa's Linngari has a date with history in the Al Fahidi Fort (Group 2) at Nad Al Sheba on Thursday.

Trainer Herman Brown's stable-star is bidding to become the first horse to win the $250,000 race for the third successive year, en route to his principal target, the Duty Free on March 29.

But he must concede weight to a host of talented horses in the Commercial Bank of Dubai-sponsored race, a penalty he has incurred for winning a Group 1 contest in Italy, the Premio Vittorio di Capua.

However, Brown is confident it will not stop Linngari from running a big race.

"He is in good form and loves this track. Obviously the penalty makes it more difficult, but he will give a good account of himself," said the trainer on the Dubai Racing Club newswire.

Among Linngari's rivals in a maximum field of 10 is Doug Watson's Danak, the winner of his first five starts when previously trained by John Oxx in Ireland.

The five-year-old son of Pivotal is having his first outing for leading UAE trainer Watson, and first start since finishing a close sixth in the Arlington Million XXV (Grade 1) at Arlington Park in Illinois, USA last August.

Watson told the Dubai Racing Club: "He is as fit as we can get him and he has worked well at Nad Al Sheba when we have brought him over. It is a tough race but we hope he goes well."

Admiralofthefleet and Archipenko represent the in-form Mike de Kock stable while English trainer John Gosden saddles Royal Ascot winner Royal Oath.

De Kock, who has won this race twice in the past with Yard-Arm (2005) and Ipi Tombe (2003) commented on Archipenko: "He is a nice horse who has been highly tried in the past, but will appreciate stepping up to this trip."

Today's seventh meeting of the Dubai International Racing Carnival opens with the Group 2 Bani Yas, a 1,200-metre sprint for Purebred Arabians.

Musabah Al Muhairi's Al Sourour, winner of the Group 3 Al Ruwais at Abu Dhabi last month, looks the one to beat.

Elsewhere, Marbush could give Dhruba Selvaratnam his second success of the Carnival by taking the Tadawul Handicap, while Brazil's Ukrainian can build on his third place effort to Drift Ice in the Visa Infinite Handicap.

Last outing winners Turn On The Style and Jalil are expected to win their respective races.

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