DUBAI WORLD CUP - Morning Work notes

Tuesday's Track Work Notes
$12 million Group 1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airlines
After being away from the races for more than 240 days, when Country Grammer resurfaced in the Group 1 Saudi Cup no-one knew what to expect. But the five-year-old entire son of Tonalist showed up in a big way finishing a bang-up second. He seems to be thriving at Meydan racecourse as he looks to give Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a fourth victory in the prestigious Dubai World Cup. After spending Monday jogging quietly in the confines of the International Quarantine track, Country Grammer was on the muscle as he passed the wire with great energy under the watchful eye of longtime Baffert assistant Jimmy Barnes.
“Country Grammer is a horse who will run all day and will definitely appreciate the two turns and the 1 1/4-mile distance of this race. He has always been a straightforward horse to train and nothing has changed with him here.”
Conditioner Doug O’Neill’s fan favorite Hot Rod Charlie has had everything go his way since shipping out to Meydan racecourse on January 19. A winner of the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (G2) in his lone local start he has strengthened up and certainly looked the part Tuesday coming onto the track around 7:15am accompanied as usual by the outrider pony. ‘Chuck’, as he is affectionally called by his owners, had a very happy gallop as he continues to tout himself around the track eon a daily basis.
“We were so happy to be able to run him as a four-year-old and glad we came over here when we did,” assistant trainer Leandro Mora said. “He is doing so good right now, he loves this track. He is very calm and quiet when making the walk to the track in the mornings but as soon as he steps on the track and the rider sits on his back he knows it is go-time and can get a little excited, but in a good way. Although he did give us a little scare last week when he and the pony were bucking and feeling too good by the wire launching himself in the air.”
After a 13-hour flight from Miami, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and the ownership connections of China Horse Club and WinStar Farm got a chance to see the presumptive World Cup favourite Life Is Good train for the first time at 5am on Tuesday. After backing up to the 1/8 pole the four-year-old cogalloped 1 1/2 miles and, as has been the case all week, he got stronger as the gallop went along. Amelia Green, the only rider who sits on Life Is Good’s back, had to use all her strength to pull him up as he desperately wanted to continue on with his morning trackwork.
“I would be surprised if he wasn’t like that to be honest,” Pletcher said. “Our flight was good and as soon as we arrived last night we went to the stables and saw Life Is Good and we were very happy with what we saw of him. He really looks like he has settled in well. I’ve learned some things over the years of coming here and one of them I think is to do all your work at home. I’ve breezed horses here in the past and I think maybe its been a little counter-productive so we will just have some gallops with him and participate in the night schooling session tonight and go from there.”
Aero Trem’s trainer Antonio Cintra Pereira was happy to let his charge merely canter around the track and has no plans for any kind of serious work this week for the six-year-old Shanghai Bobby entire, who was fifth in the Group 1 Saudi Cup at Riyadh on 26 February.
“Aero Trem is fit and is doing very well. He returned very well from the Saudi Cup and has continued his preparation for the Dubai World Cup and so far everything is going according to plan. So we are looking forward to him running in the big one in five days’ time,” Cintra said.
The Bhupat Seemar-trained Remorse has been one of the more consistent names on the domestic circuit with a win and four runner-up placings in his five starts this term, the last of which was behind fellow Dubai World Cup hope Hypothetical, trained by Salem bin Ghadayer, in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (G1), which is contested over the same track and trip as the Dubai World Cup.
“Remorse is a lovely horse and has gone up from handicaps to Group Ones,” Seemar said. “He’s a very honest horse and with a bit of luck and a good draw anything could happen really. He did a half mile gallop worked in company worked well and looks fit and healthy and is good to go.”

$6 million Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic
In the Dubai Sheema Classic, Charlie Appleby unveils Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Yibir for his first start since Del Mar last November. The four-year-old had a canter on Tuesday and will breeze on Wednesday morning.
“Yibir travelled out with Creative Force about ten days ago and he has adapted well,” Appleby said. “He worked nicely on Saturday morning and has come out of the work well. There’s plenty of strength and depth in the race but he he won’t look out of place in the line-up.”
He added: “He’s done well through the winter. He’s a typical Dubawi and has done well from three to four. He was a big brute anyway as a three-year-old but he has furnished well though the winter.”
Japanese trainer Tetsuya Kimura made his first appearance trackside at Meydan this morning to watch Neom Turf Cup winner Authority, who led the team of international contenders out onto the Meydan dirt at 5am.
“He is in the same condition as Saudi Arabia,” Kimura said. “At Riyadh, the horse had a good start, took control at the beginning and it was a great ride by Christophe (Lemaire), he rode very well as he always does in Japan. He travelled over a couple of days after the Neom Turf Cup and he settled in perfectly, he did his first major work since then last Sunday.
“Of course, this is tough compared to Saudi Arabia but I am honoured to compete against so many trainers that I admire. Year by year, horses from Japan are competing elsewhere trying to increase their value and it is something that I enjoy.”
Kimura, who watched Authority complete a canter of the dirt track before also schooling in the gates, stole hearts with his exuberant celebrations in Saudi Arabia. However, he admitted that he will celebrate in the same manner should the Orfevre entire take the 2400m prize.
“I was criticised by my son for my celebration and so I will stay calm to win his respect back,” he said with a grin.
Dual Hong Kong Vase winner Glory Vase, who races for the same Silk Racing connections as Authority, completed a canter of the dirt before heading through the tunnel for his first look at the Meydan parade ring.
“His condition is good,” said trainer Tomohito Ozeki. “He’s travelled well and he did some reasonably strong trackwork last weekend. He is used to travelling now and I am hopefully that he will run a good race.”

$1.5 million Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored By Azizi Developments
Charlie Appleby has a strong hand for the Al Quoz Sprint with three of the 16 starters, including the favourite Man Of Promise, as well as Creative Force and Naval Crown.
Appleby said on Tuesday morning while watching the sale horses in action on the training track for the first Dubai Breeze-up Sale: “Man Of Promise breezed this morning and we were delighted with what we saw from him. The key thing is to get him freshened up after that last run (in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint) - he does go into these races better fresh. So we’ve been quiet with him since his last start on Super Saturday, but we’ve been delighted with what we’ve seen and if he turns up how we think, in the condition he was in on Super Saturday, he’s the horse to beat.”
The Godolphin trainer continued: “Creative Force travelled over well ten days ago and we worked him on Saturday. We were very happy with what we saw. His European campaign is hopefully set for him and it’s hard to say that he’s playing fiddle behind Man Of Promise, because at the end of the day Man Of Promise has done what he’s achieved but Creative Force is a multiple Group winner and a Group 1 winner. He’s probably the class horse in the race realistically, but the other little horse has got the home advantage having been here over the winter, and he’s proven on the track.”
Appleby added: “Naval Crown started the season off here in the Al Fahidi and we took him out to Saudi where he was drawn 14 of 14. He just hit the lids a bit there but he showed a lot of natural pace that day, and he has done that throughout his career to date. In a way this is more of a fact-finding mission as to how we pitch him through the summer. I’m confident he’ll run a big race on what we’ve seen at home, but like I say it is a fact-finding mission.”
Trainer Ado McGuinness was on the training track at 6am to watch A Case Of You in action.
The Irish trainer said: “He did a lovely bit of work this morning on the grass at the training track with his regular jockey Ronan Whelan. We were thrilled to bits with that. I think we have him where we want him for the Al Quoz. He will improve from his last run when he was second to Man Of Promise on Super Saturday but we will need to get closer to that horse, he was over four lengths ahead of us! But I think he has a few pounds of improvement in him, the prep has gone well and he has settled in well to Dubai, much more settled than he was for his first run here. All going well I believe he can earn a big cheque.”

$1 million Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup Sponsored By Al Tayer Motors
Despite fielding the likes of Yibir and Man Of Promise on Dubai World Cup day, Godolphin’s Charlie Appleby feels that his best chance may come in the Dubai Gold Cup with Manobo, winner of the Nad Al Sheba Trophy (G3) on this last start.
“I’m delighted with Manobo,” he said. “He’s an unbeaten son of Sea The Stars. He looked fantastic this morning and he’s an exciting horse. I don’t think he’s the type of out-and-out stayer who would end up being a Gold Cup horse back in Europe, but on what we’ve seen here he was very impressive on his only start. He did have a weight advantage there but he has come out of the race well and he will go off a worthy favourite.”
He added: “Manobo cantered this morning (Tuesday) and he will breeze tomorrow.”
Alignak’s trainer Jamie Osborne reported his charge to be in good heart after a light canter on the training track on Tuesday morning. The six-year-old has been in Dubai through the winter, most recently hitting the frame in the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold on Super Saturday.
And Osborne revealed that Alignak will be kept to a light schedule ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 contest. He said: “He’s in good heart and I was pleased with him this morning. He’s been here since the start of January now, so he’ll do very little between now and the weekend.”
Joseph O’Brien, trainer of Baron Samedi, reported that the five-year-old had travelled over to Dubai well. He said: “He ran very well in Riyadh when fourth in the Red Sea Turf Handicap. We think the bigger track and the longer straight at Meydan will be to his liking. Obviously it is a very competitive race but he is there in good nick and we are hoping he can collect some prize-money.”

$1 million Group 2 UAE Derby Sponsored by Mubadala
First on the track during the 7am training session on Tuesday, Get Back Goldie made a favourable impression as he cantered around the dirt track. The three-year-old Goldencents homebred colt has been at Meydan racecourse since mid-January and seems to handle everything well for trainer Doug O’Neill and staff. A winner in his first carnival race on February 4, going 1200 metres, he went next to the Al Bastakiya on Super Saturday at the UAE Derby distance of 1900 metres, and was defeated just 5 1/2 lengths.
Assistant trainer Leandro Mora is confident Get Back Goldie can make up the needed ground Saturday. He said: “Not knowing which race we were going to run him back we did a lot of jogging going into the last race. Since that race, we have prepared him well with the UAE Derby in mind with a lot of strong gallops, and we really liked how he breezed Saturday over the track. We are also very excited to secure the services of jockey Irad Ortiz Jr, who we really think is going to fit this horse.”
Quality Boone goes into the UAE Derby having won the race’s Super Saturday equivalent, the Al Bastakiya (Listed), which is contested over an identical 1900m trip. Quality Boone cantered at Meydan Monday morning and his trainer Antonio Cintra Pereira is hopeful after seeing the three-year-old Daniel Boone colt go through the motions during his canter.
Cintra said: “Quality Boone has definitely come forward from his last run, which he won well with a good strong finish. He’s trained well in the days since the race and is looking good heading into the UAE Derby. So we remain hopeful of a good performance from him as he seems to like conditions here.”
UAE Derby hope Irwin joined trainer Antonio Cintra Pereira's yard in January and overcame a bout of shipping fever which left him out of action for a month. The Seek Again colt resumed training in February and his conditioner said he is happy with what he’s seen him do.
“Irwin is a very good colt in Argentina and I came to know him in Dubai because he arrived here in January to join us. When he arrived there were some health problems so we couldn't take him to the track but since he started racing he’s done well and his last breeze was fantastic. I am confident of entering him. He went out to the track Tuesday morning and we just had him cantering and enjoying the weather. He’s been doing all that is asked of him, so we are hopeful.”

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DWC FINAL FIELD

The worst draws in American Dirt Racing is the inside draws with one draw the worst.

Do not know the statistics for Meydan draws.

Life Is Good, is an electric front runner but if it gets cut off or made to work for the lead, it could be interesting.

Wednesday’s Track Notes
$12 million Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline
The Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer was the first of the American contingency to hit the main track Wednesday, stopping at the gap to enter and back out of the starting gates before galloping a mile and a half.
“Jimmy Barnes is very happy the way he is coming into the race,” Baffert said via text. “[The World Cup] distance is better for him.”
Hall of Fame Trainer Todd Pletcher had a busy Tuesday night schooling his two runners, Life Is Good and Colonel Liam (who runs in the Dubai Turf).
“Both horses were very relaxed and while I don’t anticipate them having any issues it was good to see,” Pletcher said.
Both horses had routine mile-and-a-half gallops before stopping and visiting the starting gate.
$6 million Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic
William Buick believes that the best is in front of Yibir ahead of a four-year-old season that begins in the Sheema Classic on Saturday.
“He looks great,” Buick said. “Obviously, it’s his first run since America so he has to live up to that run but it does look a good race for him. We all know what he can do.
“He’s got plenty of experience now, he’s been to the States twice and he’s had more racing. I think he’s a horse that, even after the Breeders’ Cup Turf, we haven’t quite seen the best of yet which is quite exciting.”
$5 million Group 1 Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World
Co-trainer Thady Gosden has provided a positive update on his stable’s two chances Lord North (pictured) and Harrovian. Both six-year-olds carry the blue-and-white silks of His Royal Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed and arrive here on the back of one start so far this year.
He said: “They both went for a canter this morning and I’m happy with them. They seem to have taken to the travelling well and we’ll work them on the main track now on Thursday morning ahead of the race.”
Jane Chapple-Hyam is delighted with how Saffron Beach has settled in at Meydan on her first trip outside of the United Kingdom.
She said: “She travelled extremely well for her first outing out of the UK and I’m really pleased with how she has settled in over there – she’s eating and drinking plenty. Her work load was all done with us in Newmarket, so in terms of her track work we’ll just be doing steady canters between now and race day.”
The popular Lord Glitters has been one of the stars of the winter for David O’Meara's team, winning once and hitting the frame in his other two starts at Meydan.
Stable representative Matt Ennis said of the nine-year-old: “He’s good and he had a good breeze on Sunday and on Tuesday around the main track. He felt really good and all seems well with him, he seems fresh too. We’ll just tick him over now before Saturday and be nice and easy with him, with quiet canters on the training track.”
$1.5 million Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments
William Buick freely admits that his decision to ride runaway Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint winner Man Of Promise instead of Charlie Appleby-trained stablemates Creative Force and Naval Crown was his toughest decision .
“It wasn’t an easy choice and these choices are a privilege to have, but they also take a bit of thinking through,” he said. “We all saw Man Of Promise on Super Saturday and he was very impressive. He’s done that twice this season now, he keeps backing it up and everyone is very happy with him at home. Creative Force is a Group 1 winner but I went with the horse that had the track experience and race fitness.
“I wouldn’t necessarily be saying that there is too much between them and I wouldn’t say that my decision is an indicator of who has the better chance. It wasn’t an easy choice.”
Suesa’s trainer Francois Rohaut was out on the track to cast his eye over the four-year-old filly on Wednesday morning. He said: “She is mature now, the same bodyweight as last year, she has travelled well. I liked her trackwork this morning, she is fresh. Everything is set for a good run, it is important her stall is high, she will be beside the favourite Man Of Promise and he looks the one to beat. But I expect Suesa will run a big race.”
Jean-Jacques Poincelet, assistant to trainer Corine Barande Barbe, said of Air De Valse: “I am happy with her preparation. She comes her fresh but she is ready. She has drawn high also near the stands’ side and that looks to be the place to be.”
$1 million Group 2 UAE Derby Sponsored By MubadalaPinehurst, winner of the Saudi Derby in his last start continues to train forward for trainer Bob Baffert.
“He has done nothing wrong since coming to Dubai,” assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes said. “It looked like in Saudi it was a bit of a closers’ track so we were really pleased with his effort there and we look forward to running here on this track.”
Christophe Lemaire took to the main track for his first ride aboard Reiwa Homare, a colt who has emerged from nowhere to join the large Japanese contingent targeting this race.
“He doesn’t have a lot of experience, he’s only run three times and two of those were on the dirt,” he said. “He isn’t the best starter but he finishes off well. He has drawn gate one so I hope he isn’t too slowly away and then I can just follow the leaders around on the rail.”
$1 million Dubai Kahayla Classic Sponsored By Ithra Dubai
Trainer Didier Guillemin said of last year’s winner Deryan: “He is very happy on this track. The surface was a bit deep for him last time in Riyadh but he still ran well to be fourth. He won this race last year and I feel he is in the same form again. He has drawn wide in 16, that is the only negative, so he will be ridden with patience.”
Thomas Fourcy, trainer of Hadi De Carrere, said: “All going well with him. He has come from his win in Saudi well. Good gate in two also. We are content.”
Jean de Mieulle, trainer of Lamet Shamel QA, said: “He has a good draw in four. Some of the favourites have wide gates so that might help us. If he runs to his best he can pick up a cheque. I would forgive his run last time in Qatar things did not go his way. ”

Thursday's Track Notes

$12 million Group 1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline
Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor has won the Dubai World Cup a record nine times and runs five-year-old Real World in the $12 million showpiece at Meydan on Saturday evening.
“He has won on three different racetracks in England, and he’s won in France and a Group 2 in Dubai,” said the Godolphin handler.
"He worked well last time and Christophe Soumillon is on board; he won the World Cup twice for us with Thunder Snow. Real World has won over a mile and a quarter so he will stay the trip, and if he sits handy we are looking to see this horse run a big race.”
He added of his eight runners for the Dubai World Cup card: “They have all done their last piece of fast work on Saturday and now they are just doing routine daily canters in the days leading up to the races.
“It’s great to see the life back in Dubai after two years and it will be great to see all the people back and happy at Meydan for these important races.”
$6 million Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic
The focus in the $6 million Longines Dubai Sheema Classic may centre on some of the top Japanese chances or Yibir, Godolphin’s Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, but it might be unwise to discount the prospects of Hukum (pictured), according to Shadwell Stable’s racing manager Angus Gold.
"I don't want to jeopardise anything but I think he's doing as well as we could want him to be at the moment. I saw him have an exercise on the training track this morning and he looks very bright and well and happy in himself. He moved very well and his jockey Jim Crowley was very happy with him, so it's so far so good,” Gold observed on Thursday morning.
"It's a hell of a race on Saturday and it's obviously very much his stiffest test yet. He's done nothing wrong for us though and deserves to have a crack at it. He's been very consistent at a lesser level than this and now he's got to step up a level and take on the big boys.
"Through no fault of his own we've kept Hukum at a slightly lower grade in Europe, but he's more mature now and he deserves his chance."
$5 million Group 1 Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World
Japanese challenger Schnell Meister boasts one of the best formlines in this race, having finished second to the recently retired champion mare Gran Alegria in the Group 1 Mile Championship (1600m) at Hanshin in November.
Jockey Christophe Lemaire, who rode the four-year-old to victory in the Group 1 NHK Mile Cup (1600m) and the Group 2 Mainichi Okan (1800m), was reunited with the colt in a gallop on the Meydan turf.
“I think he will be very well suited, he’s a very good finisher, he’s got a good kick and he’s very tough. The extra 200 metres will be an advantage too, he sometimes gets a little bit tapped for toe over a mile. At that trip, he either wins by a nose or loses by a nose, you have to time it just right.
“His perfect trip is the 1800 metres. He’s not always the best out of the stalls, but because it looks like a race with a lot of pace in it from horses like Panthalassa, that should help him finish off well. Gate four looks ideal for him.”
Another key raider from Japan, the Nakayama Kinen winner Panthalassa, appears the likely leader from barrier 12 with trainer Yoshito Yahagi confirming those tactics.
“He is a very strong runner, I think he will be suited by Meydan and there will be no problems leading,” he said. “It’s a one-turn 1800m and a long distance to the first corner so he will come across. Panthalassa is following the Just A Way route going the Nakayama Kinen to the Dubai Turf and we saw what he did in this race [wide-margin winner in 2014]. Last year, Panthalassa liked heavy ground more but the Nakayama Kinen was fast ground so I decided to give him his chance here.
“This year, it appears very tough. I have four good horses across the night with Stay Foolish, Entscheiden, Bathrat Leon and Panthalassa but I believe that Panthalassa is the best chance for me.”
Racing manager Jacob West and owner Robert Low have been out and about all week watching their five-year-old entire Colonel Liam do his thing and have really been impressed with what they've seen.
"Liam always does everything well and really looks great out there. It is a very, very competitive race and we have an outside draw of 13 but we think he definitely fits and deserves a chance,” West said.
“We know no American horse has ever won the Dubai Turf before but we'd love if trainer Todd Pletcher became the first to do it. We thought his win in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes was just what he needed and he should come on from that run.”
$2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Atlantis Dubai
Californian trainer Mark Glatt was on hand to watch his Group 1 winning sprinter Dr Schivel hit the main track at Meydan early on Thursday.
"He's a real laidback horse, he takes everything in his stride,” Glatt said. "He's all class. You never know how a horse might ship, especially this far. He seems to have made it very well. He bounced right over the track in his gallop this morning, he had a really nice workout.
Commenting on how the race might unfold for Dr Schivel, drawn in gate nine, Glatt continued: “Depending upon what they are doing on the front end, our rider Flavien Prat will be able to choose what he wants to do. He will be able to see the majority of the field in the early stages. Our horse has gone wire-to-wire in the past and also come from four or five lengths out of it. We trust Flavien. He's ridden the horse magnificently every time and we expect he will make the right decisions."
$1.5 million Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments
Just two days after a hard-charging neck defeat in the Group 3 1351 Turf Sprint Cup in Saudi Arabia, American runner Casa Creed headed to Dubai to prepare for the $1.5 million Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments.
Neil Poznansky, assistant trainer to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, has been with Casa Creed throughout his Middle East adventures and has ridden him out every morning.
"He has handled everything well. He likes it out here, and takes everything in stride," he said.
British trainer Richard Hannon has reported Happy Romance to be in fine form since touching down in Dubai, though he is under no illusions that she will need a career best performance if she is to take the Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments on Saturday.
The four-year-old filly has some smart form to her name, winning a Group 3 and finishing just a length behind Emaraaty Ana when fourth in the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup in September. She ran a close third in the 1351 Turf Sprint in Riyadh a month ago – a neck behind Casa Creed - most recently.
"Happy Romance arrived safe and sound with no problems. She will do very little while she's there, she doesn't need to do anything. She probably did her best-ever piece of work last week,” Hannon enthused.
"She's super but it's a very strong race and it will take an extremely good horse to win it. We're very hopeful but she will need to step it up - though she's in great form and we're very pleased with her."
American contender Get Smokin was purchased privately late last year by a four-part ownership group led by Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC managing partner Harlan Malter and in just a few months the group has found themselves halfway around the world competing at the very highest level.
“We are excited about the cut back in distance from a mile. We saw the success Long On Value had here a few years back [second by a nose in 2017] and hope Get Smokin can be met with similar results.” Malter said.
“We are very happy with draw 10 as we have been told that has been a good spot to be in on the stand side this year.”
$1 million Group 2 UAE Derby Sponsored By Mubadala
One of the most impressive looking horses to visit Meydan all week has been trainer Bill Mott's Gilded Age. The three-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro cost $600,000 as a yearling at Keeneland and “certainly looks the part," assistant trainer Neil Poznansky said.
"He has shipped over well and feels good going over this track.”
Jumeirah Derby Trial winner Island Falcon is another Derby runner for Saeed Bin Suroor who commented: “In his last piece of work he worked well - he usually doesn’t show a lot in the morning. The trip will suit him but it’s a tough race. He’s improving, though, and he tries his best all the time.”
$1 million Dubai Gold Cup Sponsored By Al Tayer Motors
Lucrative overseas targets await Stay Foolish should he once again show his dazzling staying potential in the longest of the races at the Dubai World Cup meeting, but his destination remains up in the air.
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi identified November’s Melbourne Cup at the same trip as the Dubai Gold Cup as the ideal end of year target for his seven-year-old but managing owner Teruya Yoshida believes Stay Foolish may be good enough to give Japan their first Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
“I really want to win the Melbourne Cup, it is probably the race that I want to win above all others,” said Yahagi. “But the owner thinks that he might be the right horse to take to the Arc. We will decide after Dubai – he would have to be very impressive on Saturday to go to the Arc.”
$1 Million Group 2 Godolphin Mile Sponsored By Nakheel
Owner Jeff Bloom arrived earlier in the week from the United States to watch his Snapper Sinclair return for the $1 million Group 2 Godolphin Mile Sponsored By Nakheel and is excited at the prospect of what awaits.
The seven-year-old entire Snapper Sinclair has seven wins, more than $1.8 million in career earnings and ran a credible fourth in this race last year. “He is my favourite horse, I mean how many horses can run and compete at the different distances and different surfaces that he has?” Bloom asked.
“Steve Asmussen told me he was training unbelievably well so when the invitation came, we felt we had to come here and hopefully he can work out a good trip.”
The Godolphin Mile is another race in which trainer Saeed Bin Suroor is double-handed.
He said of his two runners: “Storm Damage has done well this year, as he won his last two races in Meydan. He’s won over seven furlongs but this time we are giving him a chance over a mile. His last piece of work was good and he’s ready to go. It’s great to have Christophe Soumillon riding.
“Dubai Icon won a race back in January but I was disappointed with him last time though he has come back from the race well.”

Friday's Track Notes
$12 million Group 1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airlines
After watching Dubai World Cup favourite Life Is Good have his final gallop around the track, Elliott Walden could only grin and shake his head. Walden, the CEO and racing manager of co-owner WinStar Farm, has been around horses all of his life and worked with several top horses including Triple Crown winner Justify and Dubai World Cup winner Well Armed. Yet he still gets a kick out of watching the four-year-old entire son of Into Mischief go around the track.
“He just never has an off day,” he said. “I’ve never seen a horse gallop as smoothly as he does everyday.” Doug O’Neill elected to send Dubai World Cup entrant Hot Rod Charlie, and UAE Derby hopeful Get Back Goldie to the training track. The pair jogged once around the oval with an outrider pony in between. Tony Romaro was aboard Hot Rod Charlie while jockey Flavien Prat was aboard Goldie.
“Charlie can be a handful in the morning,” O’Neill commented. “We didn’t want him to be too tough for Prat. We are very happy how everything has gone since coming out here. He looks great and we are ready for tomorrow.”
The Grade 1 Longines Gran Premio Latinoamericano winner Aero Trem was last seen finishing fifth in the Saudi Cup in February, but connections are hopeful with Pereira declaring: “He did a normal canter around the track and all is well pointing towards the big race. The jockey (Vagner Leal) got a good feeling aboard him and is looking forward to a good run tomorrow. All preparations have gone according to plan and he’s done well and it’s looking good and everything is in place.”
The William Haggas-trained Grocer Jack was declared a non-runner on Thursday evening.
Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic
Whether or not Stella Veloce wins or loses the Sheema Classic, trainer Naosuke Sugai says his presence in the US$6 million feature is a testament to owner Tsuyoshi Ono, who died on March 2 aged 50 after a short battle with cancer.
Ono will be represented by Stella Veloce as well as returning 2020 Saudi Derby winner Full Flat in the Godolphin Mile and Veloce Oro in the Dubai Gold Cup in a bid for a first Dubai World Cup night success, having finished second with Matera Sky in the 2019 Dubai Golden Shaheen.
“I feel that this race has more meaning now, it’s different than it would be for a usual race,” Sugai said. “I hope to pay the owner the best tribute possible and that he can be celebrating in heaven for Stella Veloce. It’s all going well so far and I feel that Mr Ono is playing his part in spirit.” Antonio Fresu will take the seat aboard the Musabbeh Al Mheiri-trained For The Top, whose only win this season is a four-length romp in the Listed The Entisar over 2000m on the dirt track.
Fresu said: “It’s going to be a tough race but he’s done well and has form going over turf too and the distance is definitely not a problem so he should go well.”
$2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Atlantis Dubai
Dubai-based conditioner Doug Watson saddles two, with Everfast and Al Tariq stepping forward. The latter finished sixth last year, but has a pair of Group 3 wins over course and distance to show on his resume. Al Tariq is drawn in gate four, while Everfast, winner on his UAE debut in December and then a distant third in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 behind Dubai World Cup-bound Hypothetical, leaps out of gate seven.
Watson said: “If there’s a lot of speed Everfast could be the one that’s closing. He has enough speed to keep himself in the race and if they burn out a little in front, he might be able to close them down.
“Al Tariq has a great draw and we have to wait and see how he breaks and how fast everybody else wants to go. He did stalk when he won the Al Shindagha so we’re not afraid to sit a little off the pace, we don’t need to be on the lead, so we’ll just see how the gates open and how he comes out and makes plans from there, we’ll just leave it up to the jockeys.”
Strongconstitution stayed in the international quarantine going 10 laps around the 1/4 mile training track attached to the yard. The five-year-old gelding is owned by Say Jay Racing & Roadrunner Racing. Greg Helm the managing partner of Roadrunner Racing who also own majority share in Hot Rod Charlie has been here all week and has loved what he’s seen.
“This place is surreal,” Helm said. “If you would have told me two years ago when we were trying to fill out our partnership group on Hot Rod Charlie that we would be here no one would have ever believed us. He is all grown up now and looks every bit a stallion.”
Group 1 winner Drain the Clock has completed the exacta in 10 of his 12 career races and comes into the Dubai Golden Shaheen as clearly one of the top choices. For breeder and Co-owner Nick Cosato of Slam Dunk Racing this race means everything.
“He is absolutely thriving here in Dubai. Winning a race like this with a horse that I bred would be like my son hitting the game winning home run in the Little League World Series. Over the moon overjoyed and probably a tad emotional as well.”
Group 1 Dubai Turf Sponsored By DP World
Sir Busker has had plenty of time to acclimatise to the Dubai climate, making two starts so far this winter. The most recent of those was an excellent effort to finish fourth in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta over course and distance on Super Saturday and Piers Winkworth, Racing Manager for the owners Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds, feels he's more than entitled to take his chance.
He said: "We're incredibly excited to have a runner on World Cup Night, he came out there for the Carnival and he's run twice so far. He's thrived out in Dubai and had a lovely time out there. William Knight's head girl Jitka has been looking after him over there and she's done a fantastic job. William Buick rode him for a piece of work with Hukum the other day and he seemed to go really well.
"He's got a wide draw on Saturday but he's a hold up horse anyways, so hopefully William can drop him in and get him a nice position so that when they come round the bend he can be there to pick up the pieces. We're hoping that he's got a chance on his best form in the UK and we're not just there to make up the numbers.”
$1.5 million Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments
Despite his recent form on dirt, Khuzaam found himself a place in the $1million Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint sponsored by Azizi Developments on turf. His trainer Doug Watson believes he has genuine pace.
“He is a real unknown. He’s very fast and is doing very well and we’re just hopeful, but if he were to run a big race it wouldn’t surprise me like the way he ran up the hill in the Jebel Ali Sprint, so we’re looking forward to him going out there,” Watson said.
$1 Million Group 2 Godolphin Mile Sponsored By Nakheel
Golden Goal stalked the pace and hugged the rail when scoring in the Group 3 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 over course and distance mid-January and the eight-year-old gelded son of Dark Angel has had to overcome a few issues, with trainer Doug Watson’s only worry being his wide draw as he is set to leap out of stall 10. Watson also fields Shadwell owned Mubakker.
Commenting on his pair, two-time race winner with One Man Band and Second Summer in 2016 and 2017 respectively, said: “Golden Goal had a bit of dirty mucus and had a bit of scope and it took us three weeks to get him back, but it seems we have. Obviously we had to treat him and try and build him back. Drawn 10 it could be a bit tough, but he’s a tough horse and I expect him to run well. Whether he can overcome that draw I don’t know, but gate 5 for Mubakker seems just perfect for me. He’s got a lot of speed inside that he can kind of chase there and it should open up the race for him and he can close like he has in the past.”
$1 Million PA Group 1 Dubai Kahayla Classic sponsored by Ithra Dubai
Rajeh won the PA Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R2 over 1900m without much fuss by a massive six and a half length margin and was subsequently third in the PA Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3, the track and trip prep on the Super Saturday card three weeks ago. Trained by Musabbeh Al Mheiri, he will go under Antonio Fresu yet again. The Italian having ridden him in all his three UAE starts is confident about a good showing after his horse drew post 5.
“He’s a very good horse and we have a good draw as well. He’s been running really well in Dubai and seems to have shown his best form here. Hopefully, all goes well on race day,” Fresu commented.