Dubai World Cup

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by pmayjr

Blazing Speed is my longshot of the day, but I could see him being a lot of people's "wise-guy" horse. I think we'll be lucky to get half thse odds. But I do love him in the Duty Free.

I think Cavalryman does win, but I'm trying to beat Shea Shea with the 2 HK shippers, Medicean Man, and Berlino di Tiger

(whispering - the two hk shippers in that one are Joy and Fun and Amber Sky ). I really am curious we to which two you meant but yes, beat Shea Shea? Absolutely. I'm using the hk horses with Sole Power and sticking Shea Shea in the 3rd spot.

I know you have posted picks... I just don't like reading anyones till I'm completely done capping BUT I will look forward to seeing yours.

Good luck!

[pmayjr]

you as well

IT's such a wide open card that there's a good chance I'll be wayyyy off in some races, but if I'm just right about 1 or 2 of them it should be a pretty prosperous day

[my miss storm cat]

Well done, Amber Sky.

[Arletta]

The average half-time curtain drop at a middling theatre play has more oomph to it. And that is true of every race, except the ones won by Godolphin or a member of the Maktoum family, at which point the natives go crazy. Maybe they think they're being watched.

http://racing.scmp.com/freeservice/n...s20140402b.asp

We can only hope they tear up that Tapeta crap.

[NoChanceToDance]

It's an interesting article, but seemingly written by someone who has a particular grievance over the Dubai Racing Club. In regards to the horse connections, yes - in some cases they were not respected well enough, not being granted access to the parade ring until the horses were almost leaving, rather ironically, this is more or less becasue of the media. What gives them the right to be in the parade ring all night? Have they paid for access? Have they a percentage in every horse? I understand the need for media representation, and the photos circulating gobally, but they are ruining the experience for those who actually make the Dubai carnival work!

At any given time, there would have been 50+ camera men/women as well as god knows how many journalists. I'm sorry, but they can get just as many images from an ares outside of the parade ring before each race, and the journalists can take notes and interviews anywhere on the track.

We were in race three, tried to access the ring after the trophy presentation of race two, but access was denied - at the same time, a guy with a camer and a red vest strolled straight through. By this time our jockey was there, looking lost, our horse was in there, but we, the owners were not allowed. This was simply because there were too many people already in the parade ring - many people who had no right to be there.

In regards to the tapeta, I simply do not agree. You only have to look at the run of Flotilla in the mile to show that (despite) slow sectionals, it is possible to make plenty of ground on this surface. Giovanni Boldini should have won the UAE Derby if making his run earlier - Jockey error, not the track. We have to remember that, the track got hit with heavy rain on Wednesday, which would have certainly tightened the track up - this is the outcome for every surface bar turf.

In the same week where the figures of horse deaths on different surfaces were released:
2.08 deaths per 1000 starters on dirt
1.66 for turf
1.22 for synthetics

Going back to a dirt surface would be criminal, immoral and down right stupid.

[Arletta]

o.k.. but how would going back to dirt be stupid?

[NoChanceToDance]

Originally Posted by Arletta

o.k.. but how would going back to dirt be stupid?

Clearly you didn't read the part where the results stated it's almost twice as likely for deaths to occur on dirt as it is on synthetic surfaces?

Going back to dirt would be like stepping back in time.

A synthetic surface provides the greatest good for the greatest number. Let's face it, America has it's own 'world' championships for horses on dirt. Why should there be another world championship meeting held on dirt when the surface only suits a small percentage of horses around the world?

Maybe Tapeta isn't the surface to use, but there are other synthetic surfaces, which do a fantastic job around the globe.

The injuries, which are caused purely because of dirt quickly get forgotten about to protect the American industry - the faster someone acts the better. Dirt tracks are in place for one reason and one reason only. They are easy to maintain, and track managers have become lazy.

Dirt racing will soon be a thing of the past hopefully, and the whole industry would benefit.