Godolphin’s Hunter’s Light can be big star at Dubai World Cup

Newmarket: Godolphin’s Saeed Bin Surour, who has won the Dubai World Cup (G1) five times, looks to have the best hope in his stable, the fast-improving Hunter’s Light, who became the 200th winner for the boys in blue when winning the Al Maktoum Challenge Round III (G1) on Super Saturday.

It was Hunter’s Light’s ninth win from 17 starts, and by far his best performance. The five-year-old really has worked his way up from supporting actor to leading role over the past five months. Will he be the star on the big night?

It does not seem that long ago that Hunter’s Light won a Listed race at Lingfield Park in England in November 2011. He was a string favourite but made hard work of landing the spoils under jockey William Buick, whose comment after the race was: “It was harder than I had expected, but he will be a nice horse for Meydan.”

How right Buick was, though his prediction took time to be proved right, mainly because Hunter’s Light did not race in Dubai last winter but also because this son of top miler Dubawi has been a late developer. He turned the corner last summer and showed improved form by beating Jet Lag by two lengths in a G3 event at Haydock Park in August. Three weeks later he was sent to Turkey, to contest the valuable Anatolia Trophy (G2) over 2000 metres on the Polytrack course at Veliefendi. Frankie Dettori was in the saddle and rode a confident race, holding him up at the back of the field before unleashing a powerful run in the home straight. Hunter’s Light crushed his rivals, beating the German challenger Zazou by five lengths. The rest of the field may not have been all that classy but he sure looked just that.

He was next seen in the Prix Dollar (G2) at Longchamp, where he encountered the tricky combination of heavy ground and Cirrus des Aigles, who loves such conditions. The French champion, who was a good second to Frankel on his next start, won by nine lengths while Hunter’s Light was second.

Another month passed and Hunter’s Light was on his travels again, this time to the Capannelle racecourse outside Rome. He lined up against six others in the Premio Roma (G1), like the Prix Dollar run over 2000 metres on heavy turf. Silvestre de Sousa had taken over in the saddle and enjoyed an easy ride on Hunter’s Light, who was always prominent, led 500 metres out and ran on well to win by two lengths from Feureblitz, a close second in G1 company in Germany on his previous start. After this win, gained a year after his last-gasp victory in lesser company at Lingfield, it was decided to point Hunter’s Light to the Dubai International Racing Carnival. It was a good decision.

He has won both his races here this winter and shown progressive form. Hunter’s Light became one of the World Cup favourites when capturing the Al Maktoum Challenge III (G1) on Super Saturday. Not only did he beat a dozen other World Cup hopefuls, he led a popular 1-2-3 for the incredibly powerful operation of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Hunter’s Light had landed the second round of the challenge series on his reappearance a month earlier and he just keeps on improving. He travelled well just behind the early leaders on Super Saturday, was given a beautiful trip guided by jockey Silvestre de Sousa and ran out a solid two-and-three-quarter-length winner over Kassiano, who was staying on really well after a troubled trip.

If Hunter’s Light can improve again, well, then perhaps he will come out on top on March 30.

Prince Bishop, who took third in front of Surfer, is not such a serious contender for the $10 million contest, but he is a very useful performer and a good yardstick. The third round of the Al Maktoum Challenge was undoubtedly the strongest local prep for the World Cup. The race has thrown up the winner of two of the last three editions of the World Cup. Though landing the double has not been the trend. Monterrosso, last year’s World Cup winner, was fourth in the Al Maktoum Challenge III, while Gloria de Campeao had finished second in the main prep, before lifting the biggest trophy in racing in 2010.

Hunter’s Light seems to be yet another Godolphin trainee who has his best season as a five-year-old. The ‘boys in blue’ have had several of those types of animals over the years, like Daylami, Fantastic Light and Swain to name but three. He is not in the same class as the two US raiders, Animal Kingdom and Royal Delta, but he may be getting there. Proven over the course and distance, coming off his career-best effort and holding home-court advantage, Hunter’s Light has a good chance. He was bred in Ireland by Darley and comes from one of the Aga Khan’s excellent families that have also produced champions Darshaan and Darara.

— Geir Stabell is the publishing-editor of Newmarket-based Globeform