Trade Storm can complete emotional victory at Dubai World Cup

Dubai: Trade Storm, who was overlooked at an Ascot bloodstock sale where the base price was only £1,500 (Dh8,323), can complete an emotional victory for his trainer David Simcock by winning the Group 1 $5 million (Dh18.36 million) Dubai Duty Free on Saturday night.

The five-year-old son of Trade Fair won the Group 2 Zabeel Mile at Meydan for Universal Racing, a British syndicate headed by Graham Lucas, who tragically passed away shortly after the race.

He was subsequently sold to Qatar Racing, under whose maroon colours he will now race.

Simcock recalled: “Graham was diagnosed with cancer about eight months ago, and unfortunately it was progressive. He was planning to travel to Dubai when Trade Storm won for the first time in February, but he took a turn for the worse.

“Fortunately he was alive when the Zabeel Mile was run and conscious when the syndicate went to see him to tell him he had won. A few hours later he died.

“It was very sad, but winning a Group race was the one thing he wanted and it happened.”

Explaining the rise of Trade Storm, the trainer’s wife Jennie said: “It was a matter of finding the key to him, which was that fast ground is very much in his favour.

“Everything fell into place in a major handicap at York in August, but the following month it fell apart at Doncaster when it rained on the morning of the race.”

Trade Storm did not run again last season and, in November, the plan to run at the 2013 Dubai World Cup Carnival was finalised.

Jennie added: “After the lay-off, we were not expecting too much on his first run in Dubai, where we knew he would need the outing, and said to the syndicate that they should wait until his second and third runs before making the trip.

“Trade Storm has always been visually impressive and works well, but in the event he has improved beyond our imagination.

“We will not know for certain whether he can continue improving until Saturday, but it’s his big day.

“He is the first horse we have trained for Qatar Racing, so Saturday is important in that respect. Most of all, though, this race is for Graham Lucas.”