Dubai Godolphin Racing’s Frosted has unequivocally thrown down the gauntlet and announced himself as a major contender for next month’s $10million (Dh36.7 million) Dubai World Cup (G1) by flattening his rivals in Round Two of the Al Maktoum Challenge series at Meydan on Thursday night.
Without being hard ridden or challenged the four-year-old son of America’s leading sire, Tapit, which is trained in American by former UAE champion handler Kiaran McLaughlin, easily broke the track record at Meydan for the distance of 1,900 metres with a time of 1:56.67secs.
More importantly, he was ticking all the right boxes in what was his first racecourse appearance since a seventh-place effort behind American Pharoah in last October’s Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland, Kentucky.
The performance was visually stunning and must have come as an ominous warning to the rivals connections, including Dubai World Cup favourite California Chrome’s assistant trainer Alan Sherman.
However, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who owns both Godolphin and Darley, offered a word of caution when talking to the Dubai Racing Channel.
“I think Frosted is a very good horse. It is nice to see we have a horse for the G1 Dubai World Cup but that race will attract horses as good as Frosted,” Shaikh Mohammad said.
“The horses Frosted beat tonight are not as good as the ones he will meet in the Dubai World Cup. Kiaran is a great trainer and we welcome him back home to Dubai.”
California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year, remains the favorite for the world’s richest race in seven weeks time but British bookmakers were quick to trim Frosted’s odds with some even making him a joint 4/1 favourite.
Frosted has raced in the highest of company including two legs of the American Triple Crown won by the legendary American Pharoah. He has had 14 starts, comprising nine last year, where he registered victories in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby.
McLaughlin was delighted with Frosted’s Dubai debut and said: “Frosted is a very nice horse and William [Buick] rode him great.
“It is great to return to Dubai and be in the winner’s enclosure with Shaikh Mohammad again.
“Frosted set a new course record in this prestigious race and we have to decide now whether we are going to run back here on March 5 for Round Three of the Al Maktoum Challenge or go straight for the Dubai World Cup (March 26).
“The chances are that we won’t run him before the Dubai World Cup as he is fit enough and ran so well tonight, but we will talk about it.”
Buick, who rode Prince Bishop to win the 2015 Dubai World Cup, added: “I am not surprised that it was a new track record as Frosted felt very impressive.
“I am very pleased with the way the race went. He had a very uninterrupted trip and didn’t have a hard race - it all went very smoothly so it was a nice stepping-stone for him because he has had a bit of a lay-off.
“Frosted gave me a very nice feel and is a very nice horse. He has been very well prepared by Kiaran and the team. I am very grateful to be on Frosted.”
McLaughlin and Buick also combined to win the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes with Confrontation, while Saeed Bin Surour saddled a double with Special and Think Ahead.
Ali Rashid Al Raihe’s Ertijaal was another eye-catcher as was the Roger Varian-trained Battersea, who was rewardig his trainer with a first Carnival success.
