4.50pm
Dubai Gold Cup Sponsored By Al Tayer Motors (Group 2)
Turf
2m
11 runners
Dubai: The Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup Sponsored By Al Tayer Motors, the longest on the card at 3,200 metres, has been won by some classy stayers and Godolphin’s Secret Advisor will be looking to add his name to the elite list that includes Cross Counter, Vazirabad and Cavalryman.
Prepared by Charlie Appleby at his desert stables in Al Marmoom, Secret Advisor confirmed his status as the leading stayer at this year’s Dubai World Cup Carnival when leading home a Godolphin 1-2-3-4 in the Nad Al Sheba Trophy at Meydan in February. After the race Appleby said that the Dubai Gold Cup was on the radar.
“Secret Advisor is a class horse,” he said. “He has ticked three boxes tonight — he has travelled, quickened and stayed at it. He has been hard to train, so a lot of the credit must go to the team, who have done a great job. He has thrived out here and is getting better with age.”
Secret Advisor is one of four horses in the race representing the Dubai-owned stable and is joined by Volcanic Sky, Royal Marine and Global Heat, all of whom race out of Saeed Bin Surour’s Godolphin Stables in Al Quoz.
Challenging the Godolphin quartet are a talented pair of British-trained horses — Mark Johnston’s Subjectivist and the Andrew Balding-trained Doncaster Cup hero Spanish Mission.
The former makes his first start in over five months since he won the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak Stakes at Longchamp where he comfortably had the beating of French-trained Valia.
Italian group winner Wladerbe represents trainer Ralf Rohne while Ed Dunlop’s veteran Red Verdon must overcome a wide draw if he hopes to put himself into contention.
The Dubai Gold Cup was first run in 2012 as a Group 3 race and has been run at Group 2 level since 2014.
Godolphin are the most successful owner in the race having won it three times in the past with Opinion Poll (2012), Cavalryman (2013 and Cross Counter (2019).
GN Selections
1. Secret Advisor
2. Spanish Mission
3. Subjectivist
