RP.....
British runners bid for further Maktoum Challenge glory
by Jason Ford
KANDIDATE and Jack Sullivan, who between them have won the last three runnings of the second leg of the Maktoum Challenge, will bid to get British trainers in the winning mood when they return for Thursday's feature at the Dubai Carnival.
Although Irish trainers enjoyed adouble last week, three meetings at the 2008 carnival have yielded not a single winner for Britain.
Kandidate's trainer Clive Brittain is hoping for a repeat of last year's all-the-way win in the 1m1f dirt highlight. “He's got a lot of air miles on the clock now and we know that whenever he travels abroad he will run up to a certain mark,” said Brittain.
“Dubai suits him – he's used to it there now. He's won there the past two years and we're looking for the hat-trick now.
“The plan is to get him invited to run in the Dubai World Cup again but it obviously depends on his performance in the Maktoum Challenge. We hope to take our chance, but the carnival is getting tougher each year.”
ERA.....
Brittain’s DWC Kandidate reappears
08:46 - 05 February 2008
Respected British trainer Clive Brittain, who has a fine record in the UAE, unleashes Carnival regular and Dubai World Cup hope Kandidate at Nad Al Sheba on Thursday.
The globe-trotting six-year-old will seek to take the route he took into the Dubai World Cup last year, when he triumphed in Round two of the Maktoum Challenge – the showpiece race on Thursday’s card, sponsored by Shadwell Farm.
On that occasion the son of Kabool displayed a front running masterclass to romp home and take the Group 2 honours 5 ¾ lengths ahead of Mullins Bay, and Brittain would love to witness a repeat this time out.
"We hope to be able to emulate what he did last year," said the Newmarket-based handler.
"The plan is to get him invited to run in the Dubai World Cup again but it obviously depends on his performance in the Maktoum Challenge. We hope to take our chance, but realize the Carnival is getting tougher each year.
"We felt that in last year's World Cup when he broke he stumbled and that hampered him from the off. I'm not saying that he would have won but he would have been a lot closer to the fourth placed horse Vermilion." Kandidate finished the race, won by Invasor, in sixth.
Outlining Kandidate's smooth preparation at Nad Al Sheba this time around Brittain added: "He's settled in very well in Dubai. His weight is good and he's been eating very well, so everything looks as though it's going to plan.”
Kandidate is one of the most experienced horses in Carnival history, having competed in the past three editions.
The 73-year-old Brittain added: "He's got a lot of air miles on the clock now and we know that whenever he travels abroad he will run up to a certain mark.
"Dubai suits him, he's used to it there now. He's won there the past two years and we're looking for the hat-trick now.”
The veteran trainer also hopes to be double handed in Friday’s feature, the UAE 1000 Guineas for which he has Albabilia and Love Of Dubai.
The latter was sixth in a conditions race behind Godolphin’s Fiesta Lady on the first night of the Carnival, while Albabilia won the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes before finishing fourth in the Group 1 Moyglare Stakes on The Curragh.
Brittain explains: “It was very wet when they arrived so Love Of Dubai probably needed that run quite badly. Albabilia is a lovely filly and the plan is to run both at the moment.”
07 February 2008
Nad Al Sheba Racecourse
Post Time: 19:15
6 21:55 SH MAKTOUM BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM CHALLENGE R2 [TB, 1800M(a9F), Dirt]
Date Horse Owner Trainer Jockey Time
08-02-07 KANDIDATE (GB) The Exors of the .. C Brittain Ryan Moore 1:49:40
09-02-06 JACK SULLIVAN (USA) The International.. G Butler Eddie Ahern 1:50:36
10-02-05 JACK SULLIVAN (USA) The International.. G Butler Darryll Holland 1:52:55
Rail Position: True Safety Limit: 16
Total Purse: 200,000 USD Group 3
1(1) ETIHAAD (GB) P Eddery
6yrs Bay H (14) R Bouresly
96 57.0 Kg [TT] Bouresly Racing Syndicate
8 (2-1-0)
2(2) SAHARA SPHINX (USA) D Smith
5yrs Ch H (6) M Al Muhairi
90 57.0 Kg [CP] Sh Ahmed bin Mohd Al Maktoum
7 (3-1-0)
3(3) RAMPALLION (GB) T O'Shea
5yrs Bay H (21) E Charpy
102 57.0 Kg Sh Ahmed bin Mohd Al Maktoum
56 (9-8-7)
4(4) DELUDE (IRE) B Doyle
10yrs Ch G (6) R Bouresly
90 57.0 Kg Bouresly Racing Syndicate
11 (3-2-0)
5(5) QUORUM (GER) W Smith
5yrs Bay H (7) M Al Muhairi
88 57.0 Kg [V-] Sh Saeed bin Mohd Al Maktoum
10 (3-1-2)
6(6) IMPERIAL STAR (IRE) K McEvoy
5yrs Br H (152) S bin Suroor
109 57.0 Kg HRH Princess Haya
10 (5-4-0)
7(7) LUCKY FIND (SAF) K Shea
4yrs Ch G (21) M de Kock
111 57.0 Kg [TT-] Sh Ahmed bin Mohd bin Khalifa Al Maktoum
27 (7-6-5)
8(8) WEST VIRGINIA (USA) T Durcan
7yrs Db/br H (474) S Seemar
104 57.0 Kg [TT] Sh Rashid bin Mohd Al Maktoum
9 (7-1-0)
9(9) EU TAMBEM (BRZ) W Supple
4yrs Bay C (313) S bin Suroor
113 57.0 Kg Sh Hamdan bin Mohd Al Maktoum
33 (7-6-3)
10(10) JACK SULLIVAN (USA) M Kinane
7yrs Ch G (21) G Butler
109 57.0 Kg [CP2] [TT] The International Carnival Partnership
8 (5-1-0)
11(11) BOSCOBEL (GB) L Dettori
4yrs Ch C (170) S bin Suroor
115 57.0 Kg Godolphin
41 (8-1-6)
12(12) KANDIDATE (GB) R Moore
6yrs Bay H (75) C Brittain
110 57.0 Kg [TT] The Exors of the late A J Richards
The following horses have been declared with Shadow Rolls: LUCKY FIND (SAF)
TRACK RECORD: 11-Feb-99 Altibr (USA) 56.0 1800 Fast 1:46:92 R Hills
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