New Market: Mukhadram, representing Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, is a serious contender for the World Cup.
The horse trained by William Haggas in Newmarket, England, has yet to run on anything but turf and he has yet to race in Dubai, but the $10-million (Dh36.7 million) event has been his aim since last summer, when he made his presence felt in top races at around 2,000 metres, the World Cup trip, galloping efficiently on famous race courses like Ascot, Sandown Park and York.
Mukhadram has finished in the first three in seven of his 10 races to date, and he is just the type to improve with age. Another point worth mentioning; his prominent racing style could make him ideally suited for Meydan.
Mukhadram was last seen in racing action when got a well-beaten fifth behind Godolphin’s star performer Farhh in the British Champion Stakes (G1) at Ascot last October, a race staged on heavy ground, something that does not suit him. Mukhadram produced four excellent performances last year when he won the Brigadier Gerard Stakes (G3) at Sandown, finished second and third behind triple Group One winner Al Kazeem in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot and Eclipse Stakes (G1) at Sandown where he was badly hampered and should have been second.
After these two fine runs in defeat, he beat Grandeur in the York Stakes (G2) event at York. He was not as impressive as in previous races that day, but he won, and was found to be a bit under a cloud the following day. Already at that stage, his connections had their eyes firmly fixed on the last Saturday in March 2014, and their horse will be of the best in the DWC field.
— The author is a thoroughbred form expert and editor of www.stabell.co.uk
