Trainer Satish Seemar optimistic ahead of Dubai World Cup
Former champion trainer talks up chances of his two contenders
Dubai: Former champion trainer Satish Seemar is full of optimism ahead of Saturday’s Dubai World Cup meeting following another extremely successful season in the UAE.
Seemar, who won his first trainer’s title in 1998 and followed it up with wins in 2000, 2001 and 2007, and has sent out 30 winners this season, saddles Reynaldothewizard in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) and Surfer in the $1 million Godolphin Mile (G2).
Both contenders have impressed immensely in their most recent starts at Meydan, moving Seemar to say: “Both my horses are going in with very strong chances and I couldn’t be happier with them.”
Reynaldothewizard warmed up for a crack at Saturday’s big sprint by winning the Mahab Al Shimaal (G3) three weeks ago, a race where he overpowered 2012 sprinter champion Krypton Factor by four lengths, while Surfer lay down his credentials with a pair of noteworthy runs in round two and three of the Al Maktoum Challenge, won by Dubai World Cup (G1) favourite Hunter’s Light.
Commenting on prospects of Reynaldothewizard, who faces Australian multiple Group 1 winner Mental and highly regarded Irish sprinter Gordon Lord Byron, Seemar said: “I’ve always felt that sprinters bloom and get better with age and that’s certainly the case with Reynaldothewizard.
“All my sprinters have been over seven [years of age] and they’ve always done well, whether locally or internationally. I once had a horse called Feet So Fast who won the Al Shindagha Sprint (in 2003), who despite many problems performed admirably in Dubai and even in Japan, where he was a spirited third in Group 3 Keio Hai Sprint Cup at Tokyo.
“With sprinters, I think its just a matter of getting to know the horse better and to understand his problems better. And once we get to know them better, there is no stopping us.”
Seemar said he was also impressed with the progress Surfer has made despite needing 10 races to shed his maiden tag, when successful over a mile at Meydan. “Regarding Surfer, we have a lot of plans for him,” said the handler who trains out of the state-of-the-art Zabeel Stables located in the heart of Dubai. “He’s made rapid progress, coming from the ranks to compete in Group 2 and 1 races. He’s definitely a horse to be taken seriously.
“To be honest, this year he seems best suited over a mile or 1800m, but next year I think he’ll be a 2000m horse. We think he can become a Dubai World Cup horse, that’s the plan at the back of my head.”
Seemar is hoping that come Saturday, he will know a little more about just how good the four-year-old son of Distorted Humour is.
Other notable runners in the Mile include the Mike de Kock-trained Soft Falling Rain, who is unbeaten in five races including the UAE 2,000 Guineas (G3) on his most recent start, and Cox Plate (G1) and Caulfield Cup (G1) sensation Ocean Park.
