Dubai: This is a cracking renewal and the Golden Shaheen continues to be a contest that the American horses seem to relish as the course layout on the track resembles races and courses they race and train on all the time.
The most possible selection could therefore be the amazingly-named Mind Your Biscuits who arrives here with a tall reputation having beaten Sharp Azteca in the Group 1 Malibu Stakes and then showing great form in the Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes.
This is a tough assignment but the Chad Summers trained four year old son of Posse looks to be the one to beat and Dubai World Cup-winning jockey Joel Rosario will be a good one to have on your side here!
Another USA challenger is St Joe Bay who is trained by Peter Miller and ridden by Norberto Arroyo Jr and he arrives here with the aim of completing a four timer. His previous victory came in the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes and this looks to be well within his ability.
Last year Cool Cowboy was third in the Godolphin Mile and in his last two runs, Doug Watson’s son of Kodiak Kowboy has been brought back in trip to tonight’s race distance with great effect. He saw off last year’s winner of this race Muarrab in Al Shindagha Sprint before missing out narrowly to Morawij in the Mahab Al Shimaal on Super Saturday. He will be a big danger in this race.
Muarrab comes into the race tonight not in the same form as he was last year, when he was victorious but still looking in good shape. He should be respected and with the help of stable jockey Jim Crowley he should go close again for local trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
One chance
Morawij, who saw off Cool Cowboy is another locally trained horse with a big shout. Dhruba Selvaratnam is particularly canny with his horses and this looks to be another top one with a chance.
Another locally trained former winner and Meydan favourite is Reynaldothewizard, who remains evergreen at the age of 11. He goes well fresh and saw off Muarrab in the Dubawi stakes on his only start this season. It would be some feat for Satish Seemar to get this legend to win another one this year and there would not be a dry eye in the stands.
Godolphin are represented by Comicas and he will have to produce a career best to take this contest. Of the rest the veteran US challenger Stallwalkin Dude is another to be respected. They will go lickety split in this race and any error will be costly. We are hopeful for the locally trained horses in Morawij and Cool Cowboy to fight out the finish with Mind Your Biscuits in third.
— The author is a racing journalist, broadcaster and Managing Partner of Tregoning Property.
