Kinsale King landed the Golden Shaheen (G1) last year, beating Singapore's champion Rocket Man, and they are set for a rematch. Kinsale King, a horse with excellent early speed, used it to full effect at Meydan 12 months ago, when he was always up with the pace, took the lead 400 metres from the line and ran on well to hold on by half a length from Rocket Man.
Kinsale King, who has been a bit fragile over the years, has not raced more than three times since. That's not to say he hasn't been ambitiously campaigned. He has been aimed at top international races. Last summer he was sent to the Royal Ascot meeting in England, where he ran a good race for third in the Golden Jubilee Stakes (G1).
The race was won by Starspangledbanner, an ex-Australian horse who followed up in the July Cup (G1) at Newmarket, where Kinsale King finished at the rear. The testing course probably didn't suit him there, he is more at home on flat tracks. Three months later, Kinsale King finished sixth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs, and that was that for the year.
Kinsale King warmed up for his Dubai trip with an easy win in lesser company at Golden Gate Fields on February 17. He will be trying to emulate Caller One, who took the Shaheen back-to-back in '01 and '02.
Globeform: 119
Euroears, representing Bob Baffert, is another US challenger with strong form. He had been off for nearly seven months when producing an explosive performance in the Palos Verdes Handicap (G2) at Santa Anita in January. Euroears led virtually throughout to beat Captain Cherokee easily by 2¼ lengths, with the favourite Smiling Tiger well beaten in third.
Euroears completed the six furlongs in a sharp 1:07.2, and his form was franked when Smiling Tiger and Captain Cherokee ran first and second in a Grade 2 event four weeks later. The Palos Verdes was Euroears's first start for Baffert, who soon set his sights on the Golden Shaheen with this seven-year-old. Euroears had not won since November 2009 but his record now stands at nine wins from 17 runs, which is low mileage for a runner of his age.
He has had his problems over the years but has always been classy and has never been better than in the Palos Verdes. Not many will beat him if he runs like that at Meydan.
Globeform: 121
Rocket Man finished well here a year ago, closing in on Kinsale King in the dying strides. He came up half a length short, and will be looking for revenge this time. Kinsale King has the advantage of early speed, but Rocket Man was not able to produce his absolute best here last year — and it would be no big surprise to see him reversing the form. He is a more consistent and reliable performer.
Trained by Patrick Shaw, Rocket Man is at his best over this distance. He has won the valuable Lion City Cup (G1) in Singapore twice, he dead-heated with One World in the Jockey Club Sprint (G3) in Hong Kong last November, and ran yet another solid race when beaten just a nose by JJ The Jet Plane in the Hong Kong International Sprint (G1) in December (Hong Kong champion Sacred Kingdom third).
Rocket Man prepared for his return to Dubai with a smooth win over 1,200 metres on the Polytrack at Kranji on March 5, landing the RDA Cup by almost six lengths from Capablanca. It was Rocket Man's 12th consecutive win in Singapore.
Globeform: 120
Worth knowing...
North American-trained horses have won nine out of the last 11 editions of this race.
