The Dubai Racing Carnival ramps up a gear at Meydan Racecourse today when four Pattern races are likely to throw up contenders for the Dubai World Cup meeting.
Five line up in the night’s feature race, the Gr2 Balanchine Stakes (presented by DP World), including Cinderella’s Dream for Charlie Appleby, who has won this race for the last six years straight. William Buick’s mount won both her starts at Meydan last season – including once with no stirrups – before going on to Grade I success in the US in the Belmont Oaks, and second in the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Cinderella’s Dream won both her starts at Meydan last season (Pic – DRC)
“We gave Cinderella’s Dream a little break following the Breeders’ Cup and she looks fresh and well,” said Appleby. “This will be her only start in Dubai before we look at taking her back out to North America for the summer. She isn’t finely tuned for this, as it’s the start of hopefully another long campaign, but her preparation has gone well and she looks a worthy favourite.”
Choisya held off all challengers in the Gr2 Cape Verdi, over 200metres shorter than this, and looks the main danger to Cinderella’s Dream.
“We’re really pleased with the way Choisya has been training out here in Dubai,” said co-trainer Ed Crisford. “She won the Cape Verdi in good style and I think if she can progress again she’ll be very competitive.”
The international field is completed by Scandinavian raiders Easywithme and Ultima, and Ziggy’s Dream, trained in the UK by Alice Haynes.
The Gr3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy (presented by DP World) offers automatic qualification to the Gr2 Dubai Gold Cup through the Dubai World Cup Bonus Scheme.
Six are hoping to achieve just that, including the first, second, sixth, seventh and eighth from the Listed Al Khail Trophy on January 24. Keffaaf, successful that day, holds winning credentials again, having just held off King Of Conquest by a neck.
“We are very happy with him and he’s very happy with himself,” said trainer Michael Costa. “He worked on Sunday and looks to have improved again from his last run.”
King Of Conquest’s trainer Appleby said: “King Of Conquest has proven very consistent so far this year and put up another strong effort in the Al Khail Trophy. He takes his racing well and should be very competitive again.”
Saeed bin Suroor runs the nine-year-old Dubai Future, a three-time Meydan winner who will be making an appearance at a sixth Carnival, returning from a 14-month layoff.
“Dubai Future is having his first start for a while, although I have been really pleased with his work,” said the trainer. “He has gone well at Meydan before and I’m hoping for another good run.”
Queen aims to Rule Oaks for Norway
The Gr3 UAE Oaks (presented by DP World) gives the winner a starting berth at Churchill Downs on the first Friday in May, by awarding 50 ‘Road to the Kentucky Oaks’ points to the winner.
That would be a remarkable feat for the Norwegian-trained Queen Azteca, who beat six of Friday’s rivals in the Cocoa Beach Stakes over 1600metres last time out and who is expected to enjoy the1900metres here ever better.
“Queen Azteca has come on for the race and will benefit from a little bit further,” said trainer Niels Petersen. “The opposition will be pretty much the same, so of course we are optimistic, but most importantly the filly just looks like she’s getting better and better.
“It’s a big race for us, coming here for so many years, it means a lot to us if we’re able to pull this one off, because we know it’s very difficult to win here.”
Nicolas Caullery takes his chance with Mistysea, who tried dirt for the first time when fifth in the Cocoa Beach Stakes.
“She recovered well and took her race quite easy,” reported Caullery’s wife and assistant Marine Henry. “I expect a good run, because last time she wasn’t ready as she didn’t travel over that well. Now we know she can go on the dirt.”
The Listed Al Bastakiya, over the Gr2 UAE Derby course and distance of 1900metres on dirt, is a prep for that big contest, although Mubtaahij in 2015 is the last horse to win both races.
16 line up this time, including Heart Of Honor, whose only defeat in three starts at Meydan came when second in the Gr3 UAE 2000 Guineas last time out. He had the re-opposing Royal Favour, Rafid, Don Vaccaro, Nam Phrik and Nimble Boy behind him then and looks the one to beat here.
“Heart Of Honor has progressed well through the Carnival,” said trainer Jamie Osborne. “Arguably he was unlucky in the Gr3 UAE Guineas although I think he was beaten by a very good horse [Golden Vekoma] on that occasion, and we wish him the best of luck in Saturday’s Saudi Derby.
“On all known evidence it appears that we could improve for the step up in trip. He seems to have thrived since the Guineas and while stall one may not be ideal we are still extremely hopeful that he is the horse to beat.”
An intriguing newcomer is Faal Khair, a three-time winner in Saudi Arabia, whose trainer Ahmed Atieg has opted to run here instead of in the Saudi Derby.
The eight race card, all sponsored by DP World, also features four competitive handicaps.
Racing begins at 15h30 and is all streamed live via Dubai Racing Club’s YouTube channel.
