DRC.....
Dubai World Cup - Latest
In his final timed tune-up for Saturday’s Group 1 Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates, American Horse of the Year Curlin dazzled onlookers at Nad Al Sheba with a show of contained power on Monday.
As exercise rider Carlos Rosas sat motionless in the saddle, Curlin rolled through a half-mile (about 800 meters) in :50.16 and galloped out five furlongs (about 1,000 meters) in 1:06.18.
Scott Blasi, who has been overseeing Curlin’s preparations in Dubai for trainer Steve Asmussen, labelled the workout “perfect.”
“He’s physically ready to do what we are going to ask him to do on Saturday,” Blasi declared.
Winstar Farms’ Well Armed also turned in his final timed work breezing a half mile (800m) in 48.00 seconds under exercise rider Iggy Puglisi.
Trainer Eoin Harty said the workout went according to plan, commenting: “I just wanted him to go an easy half mile, which he did.
“He galloped out strong. He’s very fit and he’s sound, so it was just a routine maintenance work.”
After watching Well Armed’s breeze, Harty said preparations for the race are complete. “It’s pretty much all done and dusted,” he said. “Some light galloping, a trip to the starting gate and that will be it.”
Well Armed, a five-year-old gelded son of Tiznow, picked up one of his four career victories in an allowance race at Nad Al Sheba in January 2006. He finished 11th in the UAE Derby and then after an 18-month layoff, returned to competition in October 2007 and won his most recent start, the Grade 2 San Antonio on February 8 at Santa Anita.
Making his first appearance on the main track after exercising lightly on Saturday and Sunday at the training track, A. P. Arrow was full of energy as he alertly took in the surroundings. He returned from a mile jog followed by an enthusiastic gallop under exercise rider Eddie King with some lather on his neck.
Ginny De Pasquale, an assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher, said the chestnut horse “always enjoys his training.”
A. P. Arrow will visit the starting gate on Tuesday and then just gallop up to the Dubai World Cup with no timed workouts, she said. Pletcher plans to fly in to Dubai on Saturday to saddle the horse and then return to America shortly after the race.
Also glimpsed on Monday morning was Great Hunter who underwent a light canter for Tony Romero, an exercise rider for trainer Doug O’Neill. Romero said he backed J. Paul Reddam’s four-year-old colt up to the 2,000-metre mark and had him gallop once around the track.
“He felt perfect,” Romero said, adding that the son of Aptitude had made a smooth transition to Dubai after shipping in from California. “He’s pretty happy,” said the exercise rider. “He’s acting pretty good.”
Resident trainer Mike De Kock also made an appearance opting to work his World Cup aspirants Lucky Find and Asiatic Boy on the Nad Al Sheba turf.
Winner of the UAE Triple Crown last year, Asiatic Boy suffered his first Nad Al Sheba defeat in the Burj Nahaar on Super Thursday but his handler is confident of a much bolder showing on Saturday.
He said: “I was too easy on him in the build-up to Super Thursday but as you can see he is far tighter now and hopefully will be at his peak on Saturday.
“We ran him over a mile to progress to the 10-furlongs (2000m) gradually and we will find out about his stamina on Saturday” added De Kock.
Earlier, Lucky Find had worked with Dubai Duty Free candidate Archipenko and both moved nicely. De Kock added: “Stamina is an obvious concern with Lucky Find.”
Dubai Sheema Classic - Latest
Mourilyan, trained in Ireland by John Oxx for the Aga Khan, has been one of the success stories of this year’s Dubai International Racing Carnival.
The rapidly-improving four-year-old recorded two wins in handicap class before a dramatic stretch run narrowly failed to get him up in the Group 3 Dubai City of Gold on his latest start. That run has persuaded connections to run him in the Dubai Sheema Classic, sponsored by Nakheel.
Assistant trainer Jimmy O’Neill was aboard this morning, breaking from the mile (1600m) post, before upping the tempo over the final five furlongs (1000m) of the Nad Al Sheba turf track.
Afterwards he expressed his happiness with his improving performer, “He’s been taking his races well, and he’s been thriving since he’s been out here in Dubai, eating well and doing everything right.
“He was upped into Group 3 company last time, and he did nothing wrong, so we decided to accept the invitation to run in the Group 1 on Saturday. It’s a step up again, but he deserves to take his chance.
“That will be his final piece of work before Saturday, we’ll just keep him ticking over between now and race day.
Accompanied to the track by a pony, five-time Grade 1 winner Better Talk Now was guided through his first gallop on the Nad Al Sheba dirt surface by exercise rider Fenella O’Flynn, who also had ridden him during gallops on the training track over the weekend.
“It was good—very good,” said O’Flynn as she rode back, adding that the nine-year-old gelding would probably spend the rest of the week preparing for the US$5million showpiece with gallops on the turf course.
“We’ll see during the week, but he might have a little blowout,” she said of possible plans for a timed workout. Trainer Graham Motion is due to arrive in Dubai on Tuesday.
US based trainer Julio Canani was also on hand Monday morning to watch R.D. Hubbard’s Spring House gallop once around the main track.
The six-year-old gelding won his last start, the Grade 2 San Luis Obispo on February 23 at Santa Anita. It was his sixth victory in 28 career starts and pushed his earnings to $544,284.
“He’s a nice horse,” Canani said. The 69-year-old trainer said Spring House is a young older horse. “He’s a six-year-old, but he’s a baby,” Canani said. The follow-up question was, a baby physically or a baby mentally? “Both, because he’s a gelding,” he said.
According to Canani, Spring House was a bit unlucky in two races in California. The veteran trainer from Peru said his stable star is ready for the 2400m turf contest on March 29.
“He’s sound. He’s healthy and that’s what counts,” Canani said
Dubai Duty Free - Latest
Irish trainer Jim Bolger was at Nad Al Sheba to put the finishing touches to his four-year-old filly Finsceal Beo ahead of Saturday’s eagerly awaited Group 1 Dubai Duty Free, sponsored by Dubai Duty Free.
The four-year-old daughter of Mr Greeley enjoyed a stunning early three-year-old campaign in 2007, winning the English and Irish 1000 Guineas, and only being denied a clean sweep of all three major European fillies’ classics when beaten a head by Darjina in the French equivalent.
The pair renew rivalry again at the weekend.
“Her form tapered off in the latter part of the season, but she’s back to herself again now,” said Bolger. “We weighed her, and her weight is good. She’ll just have a canter again tomorrow, and have a little blow on the turf on Wednesday.”
Bolger is no stranger to Dubai, having saddled another top-class filly Alexander Goldrun to finish sixth behind Elvstroem in the 2005 edition of this race, and fifth to Heart’s Cry in the Dubai Sheema Classic the following year.
Princess Zahra Aga Khan’s Darjina, the Alain de Royer Dupre trained French Guineas winner, who was a close up third on her final start of her 2007 campaign in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin in December, was kept to the training track this morning.
Another four-year-old filly, the Mick Channon trained Majestic Roi looked in good form as she put in a regulation canter on the main track ahead of Saturday’s race. The daughter of Street Cry won the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on her final start last year, and has been pleasing connections in the build up to Saturday.
South African trainer Mike de Kock was also upbeat about his challenger for the Group 1 turf showdown, Archipenko, who won the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort at the Dubai International Racing Carnival here last month.
“He has pleased us since his win and, with a decent draw, we have to hope for a big effort. It will just be a case of keeping him ticking over between now and the big night” said de Kock.
Notional galloped around the Nad Al Sheba main track on Monday morning, with exercise rider Tony Romero commenting: “He galloped nice. I liked the way he moved today.”
Notional was on course toward the 2007 Kentucky Derby, but was sidelined with a condylar fracture of the left front and did not return to racing until February. In his comeback, he finished third, beaten a neck in the Daytona Handicap at Santa Anita, his first try on grass.
Dubai Golden Shaheen - Latest
This season’s champion UAE trainer Doug Watson put Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by Gulf News, contender Mutamarres through his paces on the training track at Nad Al Sheba today.
The winner of the Listed Al Quoz Sprint was unbeaten in three starts at this year’s Dubai International Racing Carnival.
The son of Green Desert clocked a snappy half mile (800m) work on the dirt in 47:85 delighting his recently crowned champion UAE trainer.
“We were extremely pleased with how he worked this morning; he is in great form at the moment and clocked a really good time. He will walk out tomorrow then canter for the rest of the week until the morning of the race” said Watson.
The American contingent was also glimpsed on the main track.
Benny the Bull galloped out under Michelle Nevin, assistant to trainer Rick Dutrow Jr and Idiot Proof walked in the barn area after a five-furlong (about 1,000m) workout on Sunday.
Barbecue Eddie galloped over the main track under Iggy Puglisi, a veteran California-based jockey.
Local trainer Erwan Charpy said of his sprint contender: “Munaddam looks really well at the moment. He just walked this morning and did a few laps of the pool to keep him ticking over and relaxed ahead of Saturday”.
UAE Derby - Latest News
Ryan Moore was aboard Strike The Deal at Nad al Sheba on Monday morning, and put him through a steady work on the dirt track ahead of the Group 2 UAE Derby, sponsored by Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group.
"He went well, and felt good," was his assessment of the Jeremy Noseda-trained colt, who was last seen out when fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile turf at a rain softened Monmouth Park last year.
Noseda, who is no stranger to Dubai having saddled 10 winners in recent years at the Dubai International Racing Carnival, is scheduled to arrive in Dubai on raceday.
Massive Drama also showed up on the main track galloping under veteran jockey Rudy Rodriguez. Henrietta Steele, an assistant to trainer Dale Romans, said she was very pleased with how the son of Kafwain has adapted to Dubai.
“I’m happy with the way he was moving,” she said after the gallop. “He had his ears pricked—he seemed to have the sun on his back and love in his heart.”
Romans, who trained 2005 Dubai World Cup winner Roses in May, is on the way to Dubai and is expected to be at Nad Al Sheba on Tuesday to continue Massive Drama’s preparations for the UAE Derby.
Resident trainer Doug Watson opted to put his Derby contender, Rock Ascot through his paces on the training track and the American conditioner remains upbeat about the South American import’s chances on March 29 despite facing initial setbacks.
“The horse has only been here a few weeks and we would have liked longer with him as he arrived with a few problems,” he said. “He is a nice horse though and is a multiple Group 1 winner in Uruguay so has plenty of ability.”
Mike de Kock holds a strong hand in the US$2 million contest saying his duo represent his best chances of success on the big night.
“Obviously the UAE Derby looks our best chance with Honour Devil and Royal Vintage both holding big chances and it’s hard to split them – a dead-heat would be great!” said the South African trainer.
Godolphin Mile - Latest News
American hope Barcola jogged once around the Nad Al Sheba main track under regular exercise rider Tony Romero ahead of his bid for the Group 2 Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Etisalat.
“He feels pretty good,” Romero said. “He’s been jogging since he got here.”
Romero works for trainer Doug O’Neill and is handling both of O’Neill’s horses preparing for races on Saturday, Great Hunter in the Dubai World Cup and Notional in the Dubai Duty Free, both owned by J. Paul Reddam. He is getting on Barcola as well because the Mark Hennig-trained horse is also owned by Reddam.
Bahrain-based trainer Fawzi Nass was also on hand at Nad Al Sheba to supervise his Godophin Mile duo Halkin and Aleutian put in their final works ahead of Saturday’s US$1 million dirt contest.
Halkin who breezed 600 meters in 33:10 this morning was last seen finishing fourth in the Group 3 Burj Nahaar behind Elusive Warning at the closing meet of the Dubai International Racing Carnival.
Fawzi Nass the owner and trainer of the six-year-old said: “It would have been better if we could have run him on turf on Dubai World Cup night, but he’s a good horse.
“It’s a tough race and he has to improve seven lengths to get close to Elusive Warning. But he had three races close together at the Carnival so hopefully he has improved since then.”
Nass also saddles Aleutian in the US$1million contest on March 29 who he describes as “the more hardened of the two horses”.
“He ran very well first time up at the Carnival and then he came back sore last time after we trimmed him too close to the race. He’s over that now and hopefully he’ll run well,” added Nass.
He was pushed out for one circuit of the dirt track this morning pulling away from his work companion by 10 lengths to stop the clock at 58:50 for 1000 metres.
Also lining up for the mile contest on the world’s richest race night will be late entrant Green Coast. His trainer Doug Watson described the horse who finished seventh in the Group 3 Burj Nahaar as “progressive” adding: “He was unlucky in his last race but we are pleased with how he is training in the mornings and he should run a big race.”
A.P. Arrow taking aim on World Cup
American trainer Todd Pletcher has won a cornucopia of prizes in racing, topped by last year’s history-making win by the filly Rags to Riches in the classic Belmont Stakes (Gr.1).
But Pletcher would be the first to say that one of his biggest remaining goals is to capture a rich event on the Dubai World Cup (Gr.1) program, and this year he is targeting the main event.
Winner of four consecutive Eclipse Awards as America’s outstanding trainer, Pletcher will send out the Paulson Living Trust’s A. P. Arrow in the Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline.
And he will be hoping to improve one place from the finish position of his first World Cup runner, Harlan’s Holiday, who was second to Godolphin’s Moon Ballad in the 2003 edition of the race.
A six-year-old son of A.P. Indy, A. P. Arrow galloped about 1 3/8 miles (approximately 2,200 meters) early on Sunday morning over the Nad Al Sheba training track.
“He went real easy and comfortable,” reported exercise rider Eddie King, who also visited Dubai last year when Pletcher saddled runners in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (Gr.1), the Dubai Sheema Classic (Gr.1) and the Dubai Duty Free (Gr.1).
Pletcher’s assistant, Ginny De Pasquale, who also journeyed to Dubai last year, is currently overseeing A. P. Arrow’s exercise schedule.
Better Talk Now keeping quiet in seclusion
At age nine, Better Talk Now has seen and done almost everything a racehorse can experience.
But his connections have been keeping him away from the spotlight at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse so far, preferring to allow him to train in virtual seclusion over the training track late in the mornings.
On Sunday, the five-time Grade 1 winner and entrant in the Dubai Sheema Classic (Gr.1), sponsored by Nakheel, galloped about 1 3/8 miles (approximately 2,200 meters) under exercise rider Fenella O’Flynn.
The dark bay gelding by Talkin Man put his head down and picked up an effortless, rhythmic stride, skimming over the dirt with no one else on the track to bother him.
“He went great,” said a beaming O’Flynn as she guided Better Talk Now off the track while accompanied by assistant trainer Tom Finn aboard a pony.
The training track was a bit softer and more consistent on Sunday after a humid night that kept water in the dirt, she said, after also galloping Better Talk Now over the surface on Saturday.
Trainer Graham Motion is due to arrive in Dubai on Tuesday.
Dutrow has double chances to win on Saturday
(copyright Michele MacDonald)
Even though he won’t be able to be in Dubai on Saturday, American trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. possesses two formidable chances to win on the rich Dubai World Cup (Gr.1) program in the form of Benny the Bull (pictured) and Diamond Stripes.
“They’re both doing very well—we’re pretty happy so far,” Dutrow’s assistant, Michelle Nevin, reported Sunday after the duo galloped for the second day at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse.
With Dutrow staying in the United States to saddle his promising classic hopeful Big Brown in the Florida Derby (Gr.1), Nevin will be in charge of Dubai Golden Shaheen (Gr.1) contender Benny the Bull and Godolphin Mile (Gr.2) candidate Diamond Stripes, who are currently the stable’s most accomplished stars.
Benny the Bull, who has won the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes (Gr.1) and the Sunshine Millions Sprint Stakes in succession and established himself as one of America’s top speedsters, has relished the surface at Nad Al Sheba, reported Nevin, who has been aboard the five-year-old son of Lucky Lionel in morning gallops.
“He’s getting over the track very comfortably,” she said, adding that since Benny the Bull has proved to be very versatile in his running style, the straightaway dash of the Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by Gulf News, should present no problems.
Nevin described Benny the Bull as “a very laid back, kind horse who is just happy to lope around” in the mornings. Nonetheless, he should be one of the favorites in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, along with fellow Grade 1 winner Idiot Proof.
“His last race (a 4 1/2 –length victory in the Sunshine Millions Sprint) was by far his most impressive; he put himself in the race early,” she said. “He’s done everything we’ve asked so far.”
Benny the Bull is owned by IEAH Stables and partners and will be ridden by Edgar Prado.
Stablemate Diamond Stripes won the Meadowlands Cup Handicap (Gr.2) last year and placed in three Grade 1 stakes and thus also will be a favorite in the Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Etisalat. Owned by Four Roses Thoroughbreds, the five-year-old gray gelding by Notebook is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes at 1 1/8 miles (about 1,800 meters).
“We definitely feel that he’s going to be strong in (the Godolphin Mile),” Nevin said. Another horse with an easygoing attitude, “he doesn’t get bothered by too much,” she added.
Prado also will ride Diamond Stripes on Saturday.
Both Benny the Bull and Diamond Stripes have settled in well at Nad Al Sheba and could be sent for timed workouts on Tuesday.
“It’s a long journey (from America to Dubai), but both of our horses are relaxed guys and the trip didn’t seem to bother them too much at all,” Nevin said.
|