Dubai: The Gulf News-sponsored $2 million (Dh7.34 million) Dubai Golden Shaheen is a Group 1 sprint on the all-weather track here at Meydan and 12 months after halting a 12-winning spree by American horses, Rocket Man is back to defend his title.
In fact it will be a third start in the Shaheen for the Singapore sprinter who was second to Kinsale Kid in 2010 and connections sound very optimistic of the six-year-old gelding becoming the second horse after Caller One to win back-to-back races on Dubai World Cup night. (Purebred Arabians Alanudd and Madjani have won thrice in a row in the Kahayla Classic on the big night).
"He loves this track and he has a better draw now in gate one than in the past two years when he was in six and nine. He will be on the back of the leader in the run hopefully and then kick in the straight," said owner Fred Crabbia as Rocket Man bids to win his 20th race in 26 starts, being placed second four times.
However waiting to shoot down Rocket Man's bid to retain the Shaheen crown is Godolphin's Australian representative Sepoy while The Factor and Giant Ryan are hoping to re-establish America's dominance in this six-furlong race.
Highly rated
Sepoy has four Group 1 wins in his 10 wins from 12 starts and Snowden rates him very high. "Sepoy was as good a two-year-old as we have had for 25 years in Australia.
The records he set and the races he won, no horse had done that for a long time. His times were astounding," said Snowden though the stall nine draw and a debut on the tapeta surface could hold the key.
Bob Baffert, the two-time Dubai World Cup winning trainer who is expected to be present tonight after Monday's heart surgery, brings The Factor to beat Rocket Man after Euroears finished second best last year.
In his six wins in 10 starts, the Factor likes to make the running as he did in the Pat O'Brien (G1) and Malibu (G1) Stakes last year and in his over sprint champion Amazombie in the San Carlos Stakes (G2) last month.
Giant Ryan also comes with an impressive run of six wins on the trot before being beaten in his last start and the two American raiders could ruin the night for the Australian bred Rocket Man and Sepoy.
Hong Kong's Lucky Nine won the Group 1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint beating Rocket Man but that was on the turf. However Lucky Nine could run a big race while Godolphin's Saeed Bin Surour saddles Soul under Frankie Dettori hoping to win this race 16 years after he won it in the inaugural year in 1996 with Kassbaan.
Krypton Factor, winner of the Shaheen prep race on Super Saturday and Hitchens, winner of a Group 3 ahead of Krypton Factor last month are also capable of finishing in the final frame, making this six-furlong Gulf News-sponsored event a closely-contested race.
