Dubai: Zabeel trainer Satish Seemar made a remarkable last minute switch at Monday’s final declaration stage when he took Surfer out of the Godolphin Mile and instead thrust him into the showpiece event, the Group 1 $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan.
The five-year-old son of Distorted Humour, who has won three of his 12 starts on the Tapeta, will join 15 other contenders in Saturday’s 19th running of the world’s richest race.
And while the decision to run him in the World Cup may come as a surprise, Seemar believes it’s worth the risk.
“I just felt he was the right horse for the right race,” said Seemar. “In the last four Maktoum Challenges he’s been up there. He is a talented horse but has been unlucky. He’s always been borderline but this Saturday is his chance to show his real talent. I’m pretty sure he’ll run an incredible race.”
Seemar added that the decision to switch Surfer was rational and made in consultation with the horse’s owner Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and jockey Richard Mullen.
“Looking back and visualising all of his races I just thought he’d be better off in the World Cup,” he said. “I know we are taking a big chance with bigger company but we are willing to take it.”
Seemar’s Gold City takes Surfer’s place in the Group 1 Godolphin Mile.
Godolphin also contributed to the day’s drama when took Hunter’s Light, seventh behind Animal Kingdom in last year’s World Cup out of the race, and drafted in Cat O’Mountain, who makes a major step up in class.
In total, Seemar has four runners across nine races on World Cup night, but he admits Reynaldothewizard is his best chance of silverware.
The eight-year-old gelding handed Seemar a shock first victory on World Cup night twelve months ago when bolting home to win the Dubai Golden Shaheen and is now poised for a dramatic title defence.
“I thought he had peaked and that it was probably a one-off last year,” said Seemar. “But since we’ve trained him this year I’ve got my highest hopes out of my four horses on Reynaldo. He ran well last time out and I expect him to win.”
Reynaldothewizard has only had two starts this year. Following up a disappointing seventh in the Dubawi Stakes on January 16 he delivered an improved second-placed effort behind Rich Tapestry in the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal on Super Saturday.
But despite the lack of more runs, Seemar isn’t worried.
“Reynaldo needs time between races and came into that race after a little break,” he said. “He’s not a very consistent horse but if I had to make a deduction I’d say he’ll win better than last year because of his form and the present way that he is training.”
