Dubai: Meydan Racecourse hosts a competitive matinee meeting on Saturday highlighted by the 16-runner Zayed Sports City Trophy over 1,400 metres.
Top South African handler Mike de Kock is out in fource with five runners on the card, including Dream Dubai, in the feature.
De Kock said: “He did not really fire in his three outings last year, but is ready for this comeback and we think this 1400m is his best trip.”
Salem Bin Gadayer is enjoying a fine season and sends out Mind That Boy, who will be having just his second turf outing for the yard having joined them for the 2016 Dubai World Cup Carnival.
The six-year-old missed the whole of last season and his best of five runs this term was over 1400m on the Meydan dirt surface in December.
“We are hoping reverting to turf will help him and the trip should suit,” Bin Gadayer said. “He has been working well.”
Champion trainer Doug Watson introduces Pillar of Society to the local racing scene, alongside Ejaaby, a 1200m turf winner at the previous Meydan on Saturday fixture a fortnight ago.
“Pillar of Society is a nice new horse in the yard who has been pleasing us,” Watson said.
“We think conditions will suit him and it will be interesting to see how he goes in such a competitive race. He is drawn high enough, in ten, but Ejaaby is actually in 12 which is not ideal but he has come out of that win very well. He won over 1400m in England so the extra 200m should not be an issue.”
Ejaaby was chased home last time by the Satish Seemar pair of Ejbaar and Riflescope, both in opposition again for a trainer who saddles five in the race, including last year’s winner, Pupil. Of the quintet, Richard Mullen elects to ride Riflescope with Antonio Fresu aboard Pupil.
Trained by Ali Rashid Al Rayhi, Portamento seemingly faces his easiest task since leaving Godolphin and ran well in last week’s Jebel Ali Mile until badly hampered. Tadhg O’Shea has been aboard for all five starts since he joined Al Rayhi and is so again.
“He works like a good horse and has faced some stiff tasks this season,” O’Shea said. “Hopefully he can produce what he shows us at home on the track on Saturday, in which case he must have a good chance.”
De Kock won the 1200m dirt handicap, the Mubadala Petroleum Trophy, on last year’s card with Alareef, who will bid to repeat that victory under Jim Crowley. The trainer will also be hoping Baroot can go one better than 12 months ago, when beaten just a head in the 1800m turf handicap, the Mubadala Champions Cup.
“Both have had a run two weeks ago, which they needed and have improved from,” De Kock said. “Proven under the conditions and with those outings behind them, we think they should be thereabouts.”
The fourth race on the card is an intriguing 1600m event on the dirt track for 3-year-olds. Led by the cleverly named Roy Orbison, who exits a good third last week over 1400m, the ADSB Trophy also features the debut of promising Doug Watson trainee Big Brown Bear, a son of Tiznow and half-brother to four winners from five starters, as well as the return of well-regarded De Kock trainee Pertinacious, who returns to the dirt after a grass try that went awry on Jan. 20.
