Showpiece. Meydan Racecourse is the venue for the Dubai World Cup
A fascinating night of racing looms tomorrow—the 19th renewal of the Dubai World Cup. More than 60% of the horses projected to start Saturday made their previous start during the Dubai World Cup Carnival, writes Pat Cumming on www.thoroughbreddailynews.com
As Meydan has been equipped with Trakus since its opening in 2010, the sectional-time and ground coverage data can provide some compelling insights to key performances, or horses to avoid, on the big night.
G1 Dubai World Cup:
The world’s richest race has not always gone the way of the classiest horse, and there are some very classy horses expected to face the starter in the Dubai World Cup. Much attention will be paid to European shippers including Ruler Of The World (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Mukhadram (GB) (Shamardal), and Hillstar (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), and all will have to buck some serious history if their connections are to raise the cup of gold.
In four runnings of the race at Meydan, no winner of the Dubai World Cup has run off more than a 49-day break into the race, with three having had a prep in the month prior to the race.
Ten of the 12 horses to fill the first three positions from the four Meydan-hosted World Cups had a prep no later than the second week of February (the two exceptions being Red Cadeaux {GB} {CadeauxGenereux [GB]} when second in 2013 and Planteur {Ire} when third in 2012). More so, only two winners in the previous 18 runnings of the race have won without starting at least once before in the year of their World Cup win (1997-Singspiel {Ire} and 1999-Almutawakel {GB}).
The local contingent is led by Prince Bishop (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who in similar fashion to stable companion Hunter’s Light (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) from a year before, won both the second and third rounds of the Maktoum Challenge over the Tapeta. Last out when landing the third round,
Prince Bishop leads local hopes
Prince Bishop scored his first Group 1 success with a brilliant ride from Kieren Fallon, coveringthe shortest trip in a field of 14 over the Dubai World Cup distance of 2000 meters.
The tale of the second and third placers was significantly more sordid. Mike de Kock trainee Sanshaawes (SAf) (Ashaawes), already a course-and distance winner, wheeled back off a week’s rest to run second in that Maktoum Challenge, while Satish Seemar inmate Surfer (Distorted Humor) managed acredible third.
This pair were saddled with draws in 13 and 14, respectively, and by the time they reached the finish, had covered an astounding 22 meters more than Prince Bishop. That distance equates to roughly 8 ½ lengths of extra ground travelled.
Now, for the big night, Prince Bishop is back on the rail, but Sanshaawes has a plum spot in gate five, while Surfer is drawn in a decent 10.
Sanshaawes is very likely to get a complete inverse trip to his run on Super Saturday and if he is back in good order, the South African is an upset chance for the big one.
G1 Dubai Sheema Classic:
Meandre has had wide trips
European shippers have won every renewal of the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan. More telling, only one horse has placed in the first three of the Sheema Classic at Meydan when emerging from the G2 Dubai City of Gold, the local Super Saturday prep.
Knowing that, it’s at least worth mentioning that Sheema hopeful Meandre (Fr) (Slickly {Fr}) has been saddled with wide trips in each of his three seasonal runs in the UAE. Debuting locally on Dec. 19, he covered 18 meters more than winner Ralston Road (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) in an all-weather conditions event after drawing widest of eight. He was forced forward on Feb. 13 in a turf handicap after drawing the widest gate in a field of 14, covering the second-widest trip.
On Super Saturday in the Dubai City of Gold, he was drawn in the carpark yet again (15 of 16) and covered 14 meters more than the first three finishers, all of whom are expected to run in various races on World Cup night.
Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is back for the Japanese and one of the favorites for the Dubai Sheema Classic. Drawn wide last year, she covered nine meters more than winner St Nicholas Abbey (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), an amount of ground that is more than her 2 1/4-length margin of defeat. With Ryan Moore now aboard, does she work out a better trip? The wonder mare is drawn in gate 12 and will require a tactical ride to land the blow.
G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen:
2013 Golden Shaheen winner Reynaldothewizard
Twelve of 13 starters in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen have raced at Meydan this season, suggesting that the form to find the winner is fairly clear. Hong Kong’s Rich Tapestry (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) won the last local prep at Meydan, the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal, becoming the second horse from the Special Administrative Region to win an all-weather stake in the desert (Dynamic Blitz-2011 G2 Al Shindagha Sprint).
2013 Golden Shaheen winner Reynaldothewizard (Speightstown) was just behind in second, but both horses raced forward behind an interminably slow early pace.
Trakus, which is the sectional timer at Meydan, recorded the first 800 meters of the Mahab Al Shimaal in 48.40 seconds, 0.32 seconds slower than the next-slowest 800-meter split in the five-year history of the race on all-weather.
Needless to say, closers need not apply when the forwardly placed runners had such an advantage. Irish trainees Jamesie (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Balmont Mast (Ire) (Balmont) were 13th and 12th, respectively, with 400 meters to run and ran the fastest and second-fastest final quarters, respectively, en route to fourth and fifth placings.
Some might be concerned the pace in the Golden Shaheen will be similar to the Mahab Al Shimaal given so many are wheeling back, but the presence of American-based Zee Bros (Brother Derek) and Doug Watson-trainee My Catch (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) are likely to assure a better gallop. As both Jamesie and Balmont Mast are proficient on the surface, the former a winner this year at the Carnival, the latter second beaten a neck in the Golden Shaheen last year, they are ripe upset chances in the 2014 renewal.
SA hope Variety Club
G1 Dubai Duty Free:
Vercingetorix (SAf) (Silvano {Ger}) remained unbeaten with a perfect trip in the G1 Jebel Hatta, his final prep for the G1 Dubai Duty Free. While The Fugue (GB) (Dansili {GB}) will take plenty of beating from worldwide punters, Trade Storm (GB) (Trade Fair {GB}) should strip fitter for this spot. From the Jebel Hatta, Trade Storm was going best late, recording the fastest final sectionals while covering eight meters more than Vercingetorix. That extra distance equates to roughly three lengths, less than his 2 1/4-length margin of defeat. Two-time South African Horse of the Year Variety Club (SAf) (Var) looks to avenge a G3 Burj Nahaar loss to Godolphin’s Shuruq (Elusive Quality).
Making his UAE debut in the G3 Firebreak S., Variety Club became the only horse of the Carnival to lead from start to finish on either surface, blowing the doors off the competition in a snappy race. He was softened by rivals Capital Attraction (Speightstown) and Empire Storm (Ger) (Storming Home {GB}) in the Burj Nahaar, allowing the Tapeta-loving Shuruq to run down Variety Club in the latter stages.
Variety Club is drawn in gate 15, which will equate to a wider trip, but expect Anton Marcus to send him forward again and work out a trip.
Pat Cummings is the Director of Racing Information for Trakus and also the founding editor of DubaiRaceNight.com.
