A top-class sprinter from Australia, Buffering is a horse all the others will fear in the Al Quoz. This remarkable eight-year-old, trained by Robert Heathcote, ran in 18 Group One races before managing to win one and he has definitely improved with age and experience. Looking back today, he has been successful in six of his past 12 Group One contests, and he is coming off an easy win in the Magic Millions Plate over 1,300 metres in January.

Buffering was a 1.30-favourite in that event as he stood out as the class act in the field. As always, he was one of the fastest from the gates. Moving smoothly forward from a wide post, he led virtually throughout the right-handed course to beat Mister Booze without being extended. His preceding start, a win in the Winterbottom Stakes on the left-handed Ascot course, was against much tougher opposition.

Buffering had won the race back in 2013 and this time he beat Ortensia’s stakes record by stopping the clocks in a sharp 1.08.17. Buffering used his excellent speed to get a clear advantage down the stretch and won safely by a length from the staying-on Watermans Bay, who franked the form winning the Scahill Stakes over the same course a week later.

Buffering was sidelined with injury from December 2014 to October 2015.

He has come back just as good, if not better, and must have a great chance at Meydan. The only worry is the distance as his best form has been over 1,200 metres. On the other hand, with such gate speed and such a determination to win, a strongly run 1,000-metres dash at Meydan might suit him well. His Magic Millions win took Buffering past the A$6 million (about Dh16.43 million) mark. Only two Australian sprinters had managed that before him: the legendary Black Caviar and Takeover Target.

Muthmir

The silks of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, will be carried by both Ertijaal (Ire) and Muthmir in this sprint and the latter is also in with a fine chance. He looked really well, but had a tough weight and needed the run when making his seasonal debut at Lingfield Park in England four weeks prior to World Cup night. This was in a Listed contest run over 5 furlongs (about 1,000 metres) around one turn on an artificial track.

Muthmir put up a game performance to be third, beaten 3 parts of a length behind course specialist Lightscameraction.

He is better suited by a straight turf course. Al Quoz contender Goldream was the winner when Muthmir took third in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. The son of Invincible Spirit gained a well-deserved big race win two starts later, when he beat Take Cover by a head in the King George Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. He has won over further, though the Al Quoz distance is his optimum.

Ertijaal (Ire)

This is the best turf sprinter seen in action in Dubai this winter. Shaikh Hamdan’s locally trained Al Quoz contender may even be one of the best in the world, especially over 1,000 metres on a straight course. Ertijaal (Ire), who began his career with trainer William Haggas in England, gained two impressive wins here in January and February. His first success came in a handicap on the first day of the Carnival, when he slammed Divine by 4 lengths. The handicapper raised his rating, meaning he had to give a fair bit of weights to his 14 rivals when turning out four weeks on. But there too he had a comfortable 2-length win over Fityaan.

He has excellent tactical speed and can lead early, but he is also happy to sit just behind the early leaders if the race unfolds that way. This gives his rider Paul Hanagan options and confidence. A son of champion sprinter Oasis Dream, he has 7 wins from 15 starts and it will take a world-class performance to deny him an eighth success on World Cup night.

Geir Stabell | Special to GN Focus

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