Dubai: This looks to be an excellent renewal of the UAE Derby and despite not being a full field there is no lacking in class. Saeed Bin Surour has trained the winner before seven times, which is also how many Godolphin winners there have been.
However, the tide has been stemmed and in the last two years Coolmore and Aiden O’Brien have taken this race with Daddy Long Legs and Lines Of Battle last year. The Group 2 contest is open to three-year-olds and is raced over 1,900 metres on the Tapeta surface for a pot of $2 million.
Aiden O’Brien is double-handed in his bid to win a third UAE Derby in a row. Giovanni Boldini is to be partnered by Ryan Moore and looks to be the pick. From a great draw in stall 5 the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up will look to secure a famous victory in his famous dark blue colours of John Magnier. The Ballydoyle team also have Sir John Hawkins in the race and he is no pacemaker with great form in the book and should not be discounted under Colm O’Donoghue.
The other runner in all blue is, of course, Long John for Godolphin and he will be the first runner for Charlie Appleby on Dubai World Cup night and what a great one to have. An ex-Australian champion he won his prep race when decimating the UAE 2,000 Guineas field and this trip should not hold any gremlins and he looks the one to beat.
Bin Surour will expect a big run from his ex-Australian horse too, but he is expected to have come on for his defeat by Long John in the Guineas. He certainly should not be discounted.
Michael Buckley is a very famous owner of jump horses in the UK and his friendship with trainer Nicky Henderson is legendary and they have had some top horses, including Finians Rainbow winning at Cheltenham and Aintree. However, here he has partnered with fellow Lambourn trainer Jamie Osborne to send over a really interesting contender in Toast Of New York. He has really shown great ability in two runs on the all-weather at Wolverhampton, where he has despatched his rivals with complete disdain. A big run should be expected.
Asmar was a maiden till the Al Basitkiya on Super Saturday here at Meydan when under a really smart Richard Hughes ride he spread-eagled his opposition. This is a tougher a task and Bahraini trainer Fawzi Nass has kept the partnership in tact for a shot at a famous victory here.
When looking for a winner of this race, it is easy to look at the big two in Long John and Giovanni Boldini, who are drawn besides each other and it would be a surprise if one of these did not win. I really like Toast Of New York and he just might cause an upset but if not he could make the frame. Ultimately I think Charlie Appleby should excel again when he tries something for the first time!
— The author is a racing journalist, broadcaster and GM of Draiton Feed Commodities
