[quote=my miss storm cat]Yeah I agree.

Interesting that they're sending Admire Aura.

AA, Vermilion, VODKA, Agnes Jedi and Iide Kenshin... perhaps we should write to the JRA and ask that they send a few more? :D

¡ UPS ! I FORGET........ DRAGON FIRE :)

Tell me about Dragon Fire! :)

* * *

From the DRC...

Great Hunter seeks redemption in Dubai World Cup


For some American-based horses, there is nothing like good old fashioned dirt.

Owner J. Paul Reddam and trainer Doug O’Neill are hoping that Great Hunter is one of those horses and that he will redeem himself on the sand track at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse after his last four unplaced performances on Santa Anita Park’s synthetic surface.

That’s why they’re sending Great Hunter, a Grade 1 winner at two but luckless recently, from California to the US$6 million Dubai World Cup (Gr.1), sponsored by Emirates Airline.

“He’s run his best races on dirt,” said Dennis O’Neill, the trainer’s brother who works with the stable. “We’re hoping the synthetic tracks just aren’t his cup of tea and that he’ll do better with a return to dirt. He’s training great and he’s sound and he looks fantastic. So, if you’re going to run back on the dirt, why not do it for $6 million?”

Doug O’Neill indicated before Great Hunter’s most recent start in the Santa Anita Handicap (Gr.1) on March 1 that he was hoping for a big performance. But the four-year-old son of Juddmonte Farms’ stallion Aptitude, who competed in the 2001 Dubai World Cup, finished eighth in the Big ’Cap behind winner Heatseeker.

Yet none of Great Hunter’s connections are ready to give up on the dark bay colt, who was unplaced in the Kentucky Derby (Gr.1) last year and then missed the Belmont Stakes (Gr.1) when diagnosed with a bone chip in his right front ankle. He was sidelined for about six months after that injury.

“Even though he has been disappointing recently, I know the horse has got a ton of ability,” said Dennis O’ Neill, who scouted the colt before Reddam purchased him privately following a maiden race victory as a two-year-old at Lone Star Park in Texas.

Great Hunter will be the fourth American-based horse in the Dubai World Cup, following reigning Horse of the Year Curlin and Grade 2 winners Well Armed and A. P. Arrow.

O’Neill and Reddam won their first Dubai World Cup program race last year when Spring At Last was victorious in the Godolphin Mile (Gr.2). After the son of Silver Deputy captured the Donn Handicap (Gr.1) last month, it appeared he would represent the stable in the Dubai World Cup.

However, Doug O’Neill said he preferred for the five-year-old horse, who is co-owned by WinStar Farm, to have a little more time between his races.

Assistant trainer Leandro Mora is set to travel with Great Hunter to Dubai, as he has with the previous stable runners that have competed on the Dubai World Cup program. Dennis O’Neill said Great Hunter ships well and is “a low key and classy horse,” thus one that should take the trip in stride.

From 14 career starts, Great Hunter has won three races and placed five times while earning $790,500. One of America’s top juveniles of 2006, he won the Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (Gr.1) over eventual Grade 1 winner Circular Quay and champion and Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense before finishing third behind Street Sense and Circular Quay, respectively, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Gr.1).

As a three-year-old, Great Hunter won the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (Gr.2).




Wygods will cheer for Idiot Proof, Jalil in Dubai


Owners Martin and Pam Wygod plan to travel to the United Arab Emirates to cheer on their homebred Grade 1 winner Idiot Proof in the US$2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (Gr.1), sponsored by Gulf News, on March 29.

But while the four-year-old son of their stallion Benchmark is the only runner on the Dubai World Cup (Gr.1) program that will carry their silks, the Wygods might be cheering just as strongly for Godolphin’s Jalil in the main event of the evening.

“They might be more excited about that horse than about my horse,” said a chuckling Clifford Sise Jr., who trains Idiot Proof for the couple, pointing out that the Wygods bred Jalil and sold him as a yearling to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s bloodstock adviser John Ferguson for $9.7 million.

“They’re very excited about Jalil,” he continued. “They still own the dam (Grade 1 winner Tranquility Lake) and they raced his brother, After Market,” a multiple Grade 1 winner who is standing his first season at stud at Lane’s End near Versailles, Kentucky, for an advertised fee of $30,000.

Idiot Proof is also a horse who can generate excitement. Named after a phrase Martin Wygod frequently uses when trying to arrange efficient business deals, Idiot Proof is a “really sweet little horse,” Sise said with affection, noting that the quiet colt trains consistently well and thus lives up to his name.

Although Sise has never been to Dubai before, he said he believes the mild desert air of the spring will be good for Idiot Proof.

“I think he’s going to get over there and have a ball,” he added.

Sise plans to dispatch Idiot Proof for a workout this weekend and then give him another timed exercise about five days before the Dubai Golden Shaheen, sending him down the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse stretch to prepare for the 1,200-meter straightaway dash.

Idiot Proof has been a very reliable racehorse, winning five of 11 career starts and placing five additional times while earning $863,204.

A winner of his first start at two, Idiot Proof graduated immediately to stakes company, and his wins include the six-furlong (about 1,200 meter) Ancient Title Stakes (Gr.1) last year in 1:07.57, a Santa Anita Park track record, after the Jersey Shore Breeders’ Cup Stakes (Gr.3) in a Monmouth Park track record of 1:07.47. Idiot Proof finished second to eventual American champion sprinter Midnight Lute in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Gr.1).

This year, Idiot Proof has raced twice, finishing third in the El Conejo Handicap (Gr.3) at Santa Anita and second in the Phoenix Gold Cup Handicap at Turf Paradise.

“It’s always disappointing when you lose,” Sise said of the Phoenix effort, yet he pointed out that the bright side of the race for Idiot Proof is that the timing of the February 16 event should be ideal in terms of setting the colt up for his best effort in the Dubai Golden Shaheen.

Regular rider David Flores will be back on Idiot Proof in Dubai.

... going to the Nikkei Sho (with Cosmo Bulk). :)

[quote=my miss storm cat]Tell me about Dragon Fire! :)


Well, I just will put some information regarding him. His a young 4 year old that has been figthing with the best. Need maduration but has a turn of foots that is amaizing. He comes all way from the back pack and has a good speed. Just let him star winning and he will not stop. Check this:
Owner: Yasushi Kubota
Breeder: Chiyoda Farm Shizunai
Winnings: 10 Starts: 5 - 2 – 0

1st: Sirius Stakes (Jpn-GIII,2.000m-Dirt, Hanshin)


Foaled 04/09/2004.
Trained in Japan by T Kubota.
From:


BRIANS TIME (USA)dkb/br. 1985ROBERTO (USA)b. 1969 [C]

MAGICAL WOMAN (JPN)ch. 1997PARADISE CREEK (USA)dkb/br. 1989

That was the headligth in the news on Nov 17 -07
Japan Cup Dirt (G1) - who does Student Council have to beat for the bonus?

Dragon Fire is the Japanese horse most expect to trouble the established dirt group performers. He is a 3yo who has come through the ranks winning his last 4 starts in a row (with an exclusion from one race in between). He takes a while to wind up, but once he does he just keeps coming and the 2100m course at Tokyo looks perfect for him. He beat a very good field of older horses at the Grade 3 Sirius Stakes in his last start (where last year’s Japan Cup winner Alondite finished 4th) from an impossible position with 300m to go. He does look very, very good, but this is his acid test.

This was the report for the second run againts Vermilion.

If 4yos Dragon Fire and Ferrari Pisa get a run (they are 18th and 22nd in order of entry at this stage), they should also be treated with respect. Dragon Fire, who was the second favorite in the Japan Cup Dirt last year, has been a little disappointing in his latest 2 runs but is working much better now and has ability

Lost twice against Vermilion, but the magins betwen bout races, were much closer.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrl19IXPECs

Sirus stakes :o:rolleyes:;)

Saludos Guapa.

Oh nice!!!

Thanks and wow, thanks for finding the video!

There's a horse, can't remember his name but something Bandit? Do you have any idea who that is?

He has a head like Rakti. :) :cool: Hard to explain but i saw him in a race before a big race about a year ago..... think he was only 2nd or 3rd but he just had this look to him..... :D

Can't remember the rest of his name.

:)

That's okay, someday (maybe) I'll remember!

* * *

DRC...


American squad readying for Tuesday takeoff


Idiot Proof is one of 14 American challengers due to fly to Dubai this week (copyright Jessica Denver/Equi-Photo)

As many as 14 of America’s best horses are set to fly from the United States to the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday prior to competing on the Dubai World Cup (Gr.1) program.

Two of the more interesting prospects — Grade 1 winner Idiot Proof, who will race in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (Gr.1), sponsored by Gulf News, and Massive Drama, who will try to make history as the first American-based winner of the $2 million UAE Derby (Gr.2), sponsored by Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group — posted workouts on Saturday.

Idiot Proof, who set a Santa Anita Park record for six furlongs (about 1,200 meters) in 1:07.57 when winning the Ancient Title Stakes (Gr.1) last fall and who has finished second and third in two stakes starts this year, worked an easy six furlongs in 1:15, handily, at Santa Anita for trainer Clifford Sise Jr. The workout time by the four-year-old son of Benchmark was 12th fastest of 15 at the distance.

Massive Drama went the same distance at Gulfstream Park in 1:15.60 for new trainer Dale Romans, who took over from Bob Baffert when owner Ahmed Zayat decided to move his horses away from California's synthetic racing surfaces. The time was third fastest of five at the distance.

“He finished strong and did just what we wanted him to do,” said Romans. “We wanted to get him one good tightener before we ship.”

Since his previous Dubai travel and training plan worked to perfection with 2005 Dubai World Cup winner Roses in May, Romans said he will stick to the same basic scenario for Massive Drama, a burly colt by Kafwain.

“We’re not doing anything different,” Romans said. “All the advice we got going over there with Roses in May was get all your training done before you get over there. That’s what today’s work was all about.”

Massive Drama is one of seven horses slated to fly out of Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport in Florida on Tuesday evening, while an equal number have been booked for a flight leaving Los Angeles International Airport that afternoon, according to shipping company Mersant International Ltd. Both flights are due to stop for refueling at Stansted Airport in England before reaching Dubai on Wednesday night.

Also on the Florida flight will be A. P. Arrow, who will try to win the $6 million Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates, for the heirs of the late Allen Paulson, who bred and raced inaugural Dubai World Cup winner Cigar; Grade 1 winners Better Talk Now and Benny the Bull, who are targeting the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic (Gr.1), sponsored by Nakheel, and the Dubai Golden Shaheen, respectively; Grade 2 winner Diamond Stripes, who will run in the $1 million Godolphin Mile (Gr.2), sponsored by Etisalat, along with fellow shipper Barcola, a three-time stakes winner; and Esperamos, who will take a five-race win streak into the Dubai Golden Shaheen.

Leaving from California along with Idiot Proof will be Dubai World Cup contenders Well Armed and Great Hunter; speedsters Barbecue Eddie and Bushwacker, both candidates for the Dubai Golden Shaheen; and Grade 2 winner Spring House, who is pointing to the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Grade 2 winner Notional also has a reservation on the California flight, but trainer Doug O’Neill has indicated that he is not inclined to send the four-year-old colt for the Godolphin Mile, for which the son of In Excess has been invited. O’Neill and owner J. Paul Reddam, who also owns Great Hunter and Barcola, are hoping for a late invitation to the $5 million Dubai Duty Free (Gr.1), sponsored by Dubai Duty Free.

The most famous and most accomplished of the American runners, Horse of the Year Curlin, has been training in Dubai since late February for his brush with destiny in the Dubai World Cup.

¡always Listen To Your Mom!
 

¡ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR MOM!

I JUST READ THIS ABOUT THE GREAT LORD ADMIRAL

“Lord Admiral, now in his third season here in Dubai, has had his most successful year to date registering impressive victories in both the Group 3 Al Rashidiya and the Group 2 Jebel Hatta both run over a distance of 1,777m.
Charles believes there has been no secret ingredient to his recent success but says: “His attitude has really improved this year and he has been training very well”.
A Listed winner in his native Ireland, the well-connected son of El Prado was due to be sold earlier this month at the inaugural Dubai International Racing Carnival Sale, part of the annual ERA Horse in Training Sale, but was withdrawn at the last minute on the orders of Charles’s mother Jacqueline.
Described as a “family pet” by Charles, he goes on to say: “It would have been an emotional wrench if the horse had gone.
“But in hindsight we are obviously very pleased with the decision we made to withdraw the horse, and it’s all worked out really well for us, and we’re just lucky that mum made the call and persuaded us!”
Sentimentality certainly proved profitable for the O’Brien family as Lord Admiral went on to earn $150,000 in the Group 2 Jebel Hatta and the chance to take a shot at the US$5 million Dubai Duty Free on the world’s richest race night.
Well done Jacqueline :p

Just remeber this name: DON RENATO :p