We're going to Dubai!

[NoChanceToDance]

News of the well-travelled Doctor Dino

From RP.

Sheema Classic likely target for globetrotting Doctor Dino



by Nicholas Godfrey
.

DOCTOR DINO, who topped a lucrative international campaign with victory in the Hong Kong Vase, is set to be aimed at the Dubai Sheema Classic on World Cup night ahead of another globetrotting season.

Although he had never won above Group 3 level before 2007, this year the five-year-old has never been out of the first three in six Group 1s on three separate continents.

As well as winning in Hong Kong, Doctor Dino captured the Man o'War Stakes at Belmont Park in September, and also finished third in the Prix Ganay, Champion Stakes, Singapore International Airlines Cup and Arlington Million, despite meeting ground softer than ideal in each of them.

His trainer, the Chantilly-based Englishman Richard Gibson, is now considering targets for 2008, starting with Dubai.

“We said straight away that there were no fixed plans but he will stay in training and, as he loves fast ground, we'll be looking very closely at Dubai,” he said.

“As long as he's in good nick, the Sheema Classic is the race to go for - it's a $3m pot for the winner, so it's a likely option, but he certainly won't have a prep.” After Dubai, Doctor Dino is unlikely to be seen for a few months before another autumn campaign geared towards the top international races.

“I should think he'll have a long break after Dubai,” said Gibson. “We won't see him again until the summer, and we'd hope to have him 100 per cent again for the autumn - that's where the big pots are. But I would be surprised if he has more than six starts.”

Doctor Dino is currently “on holiday” back home at Chantilly. “He is just jogging, getting some r'n'r,” said his trainer.

“It's minus six in Chantilly - I feel sorry for him being there - but even so, he's still full of beans.

“He is so consistent, and so receptive to training,” he added. “We knew on the better ground in Hong Kong that it would take a very good horse to beat him. He is obviously the best I have trained.”

[NoChanceToDance]

From RP....

Coeur De Lionne targets Dubai Carnival


by David Milnes

ED DUNLOP is planning to campaign his new recruit Coeur De Lionne at next month's Dubai carnival.

The three-year old joined the Newmarket trainer after being purchased by Stephen Lamprell for 350,000gns at the Tattersalls Horses-in-Training sale in November.

A three-time winner for Roger Charlton in the summer, Coeur De Lionne has not been out since beating Pivotal Answer by a short head in a handicap at Kempton in September.

His new owner, who is Dubai-based, was in the news recently when selling his Prix de l'Opera winner Satwa Queen to Sheikh Mohammed for 3.4 million gns at the December Sales .

Dunlop said: "Both Coeur De Lionne and King Charles are set to run at the carnival in Dubai next month. Coeur De Lionne looks a fun horse to have around, and we are planning to start him off in a handicap at Nad Al Sheba on January 24.

"Hopefully, he will then have a couple more starts out there over ten or 12 furlongs, and then return here to be prepared for Royal Ascot."


>>Royal Oath, emphatic winner of the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot in June, has had his proposed US career put on hold to head a select team from the John Gosden stable at next month's International Racing Carnival in Dubai.

The four-year old, who trounced Flipando in winning the Royal meeting, had been set for a switch to California in the autumn to take advantage of better prize money opportunities.

Connections are likely to find similiar pickings at the eleven week Carnival which starts on January 17 and culminates in the 13th running of the $6M Dubai World Cup on March 29th.

Royal Oath,who will be accompanied by stablemates Escape Route and Racer Forever in Dubai,has won on both grass and the all-weather and was last sighted when finishing fourth to Echo of Light in the Group 3 Strensall Stakes at York in September.

[my miss storm cat]

Racing Post.....


Lang Field bids to book Dubai trip

by Graham Green

LANG FIELD, winner of the Grade 1 Citation Handicap last time out for British owner Nigel Shields, could earn himself a trip to Dubai with another bold showing on Sunday in California.

Claimed for $30,000 at Churchill Downs in 2006, the four-year-old geld is now trained by Art Sherman, who saddles him in a strong renewal of the $150,000 San Gabriel .

“He is older and starting to relax,” said Sherman. “Before, he wanted to stampede to the lead.”

Rivals include fellow Grade 1 scorer Daytona – the Hollywood Derby winner formerly trained in Britain by Mark Johnston – plus Del Mar Derby winner Medici Code and Storm Military, who could be the best of them all. The mount of Garrett Gomez, he won two Group 1 races in Argentina before joining Bobby Frankel and has already finished in front of Lang Field elsewhere.

[my miss storm cat]

Fiesta Lady (winner, G2 Clasico Francisco J. Beazley and the G1 Gran Premio Seleccion (Argentine Oaks) and My Indy (winner, G2 Clasico Coronel Miguel F. Martinez).

[my miss storm cat]

Ms. Daiwa Scarlet, Diva.....

[my miss storm cat]

Cafe Silver, winner of the Gran Premio Nacional (Uruguayan Derby) and 2nd in both the Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos and Gran Premio Jockey Club (the first two legs of the Uruguayan Triple Crown) and possibly Rock Ascot (Gran Premio Internacional Jose Pedro Ramirez), Super Cat, Pedra de Ouro, Bain Douche and Italian Friend.

[my miss storm cat]

Cafe Silver replay (thanks, The Bid) here.....

http://www.derbytrail.com/forums/sho...ht=cafe+silver

* * *

Gotodubai...

Please put this one on the list.

[my miss storm cat]

ERA...

Grade 1 winner Johnny Eves may be Dubai bound

Johnny Eves, a Grade 1 winner who has strung three impressive efforts together in his most recent starts, has been named a candidate for the US$2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (Gr.1) or the $1 million Godolphin Mile (Gr.2).

Trainer Jay Robbins said he would like to take the four-year-old gelded son of Skimming to Dubai in search of victory in one of the rich races. First, however, he has penciled in the $150,000 San Carlos Stakes (Gr.2) over seven furlongs at Santa Anita Park on February 16.

Johnny Eves scored the biggest win of his career in his very first start in graded company, taking the Malibu Stakes (Gr.1) over a strong field of 13 rivals, including previously unbeaten Divine Park, on December 26 at Santa Anita. His time for the seven furlongs was 1:21.08.

Less than three weeks later, Johnny Eves ran a determined race to finish second by a nose to Air Commander in the 1 1/16-mile San Fernando Stakes (Gr.2) after fighting back from the rail when passed in the stretch.

In November, Johnny Eves set a Hollywood Park track record when he won a 6 ½-furlong allowance in 1:14.03 for owner and breeder Mooncoin LLC. Overall, the gelding has won five of 11 starts, placed three times and earned $364,720.

In other American racing news, probable Horse of the Year Curlin worked on Friday for the third time following his victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr.1), breezing five furlongs in an easy 1:04 at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Although legal issues surrounding the minority owners of the four-year-old son of Smart Strike have not been resolved and whether he will race in 2008 is still not clear, Asmussen has said the Dubai World Cup (Gr.1) is the logical target for Curlin.

[my miss storm cat]

Assorted stuff from the UAE.....


Student Council, Daaher could clash before World Cup

Two of the top American contenders for the Dubai World Cup (Gr.1) turned in impressive workouts on Saturday on opposites coasts, with Daaher firing a five-furlong bullet in Florida and Student Council drilling a mile in California.

Although the two Grade 1 winners had appeared to be on different paths to the United Arab Emirates, it now appears possible that they might meet before the Dubai World Cup.

Vladimir Cerin, who trains Student Council for Millennium Farms, said he will consider either the San Antonio Handicap (Gr.2) on February 3 at Santa Anita Park or the Donn Handicap (Gr.1) on February 2 at Gulfstream Park for the six-year-old son of Kingmambo. Both races are conducted at 1 1/8 miles.

The Donn already has been selected by trainer Kiaran McLaughlin as the next start for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Daaher, a four-year-old son of Awesome Again. Sheikh Hamdan and McLaughlin sent Invasor to a Donn triumph last year prior to their win in the Dubai World Cup.

Other possible Dubai World Cup candidates also have been mentioned for the Donn by their trainers. Steve Asmussen has said he plans to nominate Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr.1) winner Curlin to the Donn prior to a possible trip to Dubai and Todd Pletcher said he was pointing both Grade 2 winner A. P. Arrow and Grade 3 winner Fairbanks to the Donn after nominating both to the Dubai World Cup.

Meanwhile, Student Council completed his one-mile workout in 1:38 on the Cushion Track at Santa Anita.

“I’m very happy with it,” Cerin said of the move.

Several hours earlier, Daaher traveled five furlongs in :59.80, fastest of 23 workers at the distance at Palm Meadows Training Center.



Champion Kiwi Seachange steering for Dubai

Champion New Zealand mare Seachange ran a near world-record time for 1200-metres when claiming her sixth Group One win in the Telegraph Handicap at Trentham in Wellington.

Her prime target now is the $US5 million Dubai Duty Free (1777m) in the United Arab Emirates on March 29, according to www.racingandsports.com.au.

Jockey Gavin McKeon had an easy explanation for the five-year-old's scintillating time of 1:06.66.

"She's a champion," he said.

Seachange burst clear of her rivals in the straight on a lightning-fast track to score by 3-1/2 lengths and post a time little more than a tenth of a second outside the world mark of 1:06.51 set by Bawalaksana in the same race in 1999.

The 1200m dogleg course at Trentham is the fastest in New Zealand. It is slightly downhill and today's race was wind assisted.

Seachange, having her first start for 12 weeks today, started $2.40 favourite and from the number three draw ended up with a perfect run, trailing leader Clifton Prince.

McKeon bided his time until well into the home straight before asking her to lengthen stride.

"Then I let her go and she just exploded away," he said.

Seachange quickly put the issue beyond doubt as she burst clear of the others and was being eased down at the finish.

Some rival trainers said Seachange was leniently treated with 58.5kg topweight but McKeon said the form the horse was in today it would not have mattered if she had four-kilos more.

"There were those that were complaining that 58-1/2 wasn't much. Well, she could have carried 62-1/2 and it wouldn't have mattered. She was just far too good for them."

Seachange's record is now 23 starts for 13 wins, four seconds and two thirds. Today's winning purse of $NZ150,000 took her earnings to $NZ1.44 million.

It was her sixth win at Group One level following the One Thousand Guineas and two wins in both the Mudgway Stakes and Stoney Bridge Stakes at the last two Hawke's Bay spring meetings.

The Cape Cross five-year-old mare is owned in Queensland by Dick Karreman who was overwhelmed by today's win.

"It's an incredible feeling to be the owner of a horse like this," Karreman said after the race.

"Words cannot really describe how one feels with a horse like Seachange."

Seachange's next race will be the Group One $NZ200,000 weight-for-age Waikato Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa, Hamilton, on February 9.

She could also take in the Group One Otaki Weight-For-Age over the same distance for the same money at Otaki, north of Wellington, on February 22 but could bypass that for an international campaign.

All going well, Seachange could then head to England for two major sprints before being retired to stud next spring.

Second in the Telegraph today was Kay's Awake who ran on well from the rear while third was Maximum Star who was handy in the running.



Champs Elysees strolls in Santa Anita stakes

Juddmonte Farms’ superbly bred Champs Elysees, a full brother to two champions, scored the most significant win of his career to date when landing the US$150,000 San Marcos Stakes (Gr.2) on the firm turf course at Santa Anita Park on Saturday.

Reserved at the rear of the six-horse field through a mile as Ramazutti set the pace, Champs Elysees accelerated four wide coming out of the far turn and drew away after feeling a slap from Garrett Gomez’s whip to win by 1 ¼ lengths over Rocket Legs. Obrigado, who competed in the 2007 Dubai Sheema Classic (Gr.1), finished third.

Trainer Bobby Frankel indicated after the victory that Champs Elysees is best suited to longer distances than the 1 ¼ miles of the San Marcos, which he covered in 2:00.88. Thus, he could become a candidate for this year’s Dubai Sheema Classic at 2,400 meters, although Frankel was not ready to commit to a future agenda.

“I thought he ran well,” Frankel said of the five-year-old British-bred by Danehill out of the outstanding broodmare Hasili, who also produced his full sister champions Banks Hill and Intercontinental. “The pace was slow and he had to come wide, but he finished good.”

“He’s a true professional,” praised Gomez.

Champs Elysees began his career in Europe with trainer Andre Fabre and last year won the 2,400-meter Prix d’Hedouville (Gr.3) at Longchamp and finished second in the 2,800-meter Prix Maurice de Nieuil (Gr.2) over the same course.

The San Marcos marked Champs Elysees’ second start in the United States, following a troubled runner-up effort to Sunriver in the Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (Gr.1) on December 8.

Also a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Cacique and Group 2 winner and sire Dansili and a half brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Heat Haze, Champs Elysees has won three of 13 starts and placed eight times while earning $400,647.

Juddmonte and Frankel have previously sent horses to run on the Dubai World Cup (Gr.1) program, including Aptitude and Public Purse, who both competed in the world’s richest race.

The San Marcos has been a springboard for other horses on their way to compete in Dubai World Cup program turf races. The Tin Man won the 2006 edition of the San Marcos before finishing a gallant second in the Dubai Duty Free (Gr.1).



Asiatic Boy makes surprise return on Thursday

Asiatic Boy, winner of the UAE Triple Crown last year, will make his 2008 return in the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint, the six-furlong dirt feature at next week’s second meeting of the 2008 Dubai International Racing Carnival.

The winner of all four of his UAE races last season, culminating in the UAE Derby in March, his main target this year is the world’s richest horse race, the $6million Dubai World Cup and his campaign is set to start this week.

Speaking on Dubai Eye, De Kock explained: “The plan is, all being well, to run him in the Al Shindagha Sprint next Thursday. Like the Australians, we South Africans often bring horses back in sprints even though they are better over further.

“He is naturally very talented and has a lot of pace so we think he will be very competitive, even over the shorter trip. The Word Cup is his target and a long way off.

“We will see how he gets on Thursday and then probably look at one of the rounds of the Maktoum Challenge.”

[Exterminator]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Assorted stuff from the UAE.....


Student Council, Daaher could clash before World Cup

Two of the top American contenders for the Dubai World Cup (Gr.1) turned in impressive workouts on Saturday on opposites coasts, with Daaher firing a five-furlong bullet in Florida and Student Council drilling a mile in California.

Wow! I had no idea Daaher was an American horse.

Oh wait.

He's not.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Exterminator

Wow! I had no idea Daaher was an American horse.

Oh wait.

He's not.

Welcome to the forum and yeah, you're right, but keep in mind they said American "contender".

[Exterminator]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Welcome to the forum and yeah, you're right, but keep in mind they said American "contender".

Thank you someone's Miss Storm Cat, glad to be here.

I'm sorry. Not sure I understand the difference.