Laurel River, Romantic Warrior, Measured Time, Facteur Cheval, Tuz… Fashion Friday today at Meydan Racecourse has attracted a host of equine stars.
As the highest-earning racehorse of all time, with US$22.82 million in the bank, nine-time Group 1 winner Romantic Warrior deserves top billing. He lines up in a thrilling edition of the Gr1 Jebel Hatta (presented by Longines), over 1800m on turf.
Romantic Warrior with James McDonald wins the Longines Hong Kong Cup in Hong Kong (Pic – HKJC)
The seven-year-old will be ridden by regular jockey James McDonald, who arrived early to Dubai to partner him in a turf gallop on Tuesday.
“It was a quiet gallop, but he did six furlongs [1200m] and breezed home,” said McDonald, who will ride in the UAE for the first time on Friday. “He’s got a beautiful nature, nothing fazes him, and he enjoys travelling so it’s a bit like a holiday for him.”
“I believe he’s at 80-90 per cent of his best condition,” trainer Danny Shum added. “If you really want me to give a specific assessment, I would say he’s a little over 80 per cent but not quite 90 per cent.
“He doesn’t need to be in top form right now, because our main goals are the following two races. For his next race on Friday, we don’t need to push him too hard.”
Romantic Warrior’s chief rival looks to be Measured Time, who won this race last year and broke the track record in the Gr2 Al Rashidiya last time out.
“There’s obviously a slightly different look to this year’s Jebel Hatta, with Romantic Warrior providing a lot of interest, and it’s going to be a great event to be part of,” said trainer Charlie Appleby, who has won this race four times. “We are following the same route we took with Measured Time last year and he was an impressive winner of the Al Rashidiya on his comeback run. He goes into this in great order.”
Appleby also runs Ottoman Fleet, second last year, and added: “Ottoman Fleet hasn’t won around Meydan yet but has produced some admirable efforts at the course. He deserves his place in the field and I am sure he will run another solid race.”
Poker Face won a close edition of the G2 Zabeel Mile and Simon and Ed Crisford’s gelding steps back up in grade here, having contested several Group 1s in Europe last season.
“He’s done seriously well since he came here, he just loves it in Dubai,” said Ed Crisford. “The Jebel Hatta looks like a very strong renewal with Romantic Warrior and Measured Time in there, but I think he can step up and run a very good race.”
Kabirkhan Defends Maktoum Challenge Title
Kabirkhan has run in the Dubai World Cup and visited the States since winning the Gr1 Al Maktoum Challenge a year ago, experiences which trainer Doug Watson believe will stand him in good stead for the defence of his title.
“The team at WinStar Farm did a really good job with him over the summer,” he said. “He seems a bit stronger this year, coming into his five-year-old year. We’re looking forward to him.”
Unlike Kabirkhan, dirt is an unknown to Facteur Cheval and the Gr1 Dubai Turf winner will try it competitively for the first time on Friday.
“Connections were keen to run him in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but I was not so tempted and thought the QEII [second to Charyn] was a better race for him,” said trainer Jerome Reynier.
“The plan was to send him to Dubai for the winter and try him on dirt before the big race [Saudi Cup]. He’s training really well on the surface, but it will be a very different scenario with the rhythm and the kick-back and everything. If he copes with conditions he will go for the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup, but if he’s not in the first three he’ll go for the Singspiel Stakes on Super Saturday and then the Dubai Turf.”
Imperial Emperor, two from two for owners Deva Racing and since switching to the Meydan dirt, takes a notable step up in grade here.
“He’s up in distance and class,” said trainer Bhupat Seemar, who also runs impressive Listed Entisar winner Walk Of Stars. “It’s unknown territory as he’s only gone a mile before for us.
“He’s improved every run and taken to the dirt like a duck to water. We’ve come through the handicap ranks and we’re going in a big race now. He’ll have to get his big boy pants on and prove he can do it.
“From this race onwards, we’ll find out if he’s a World Cup horse or a Godolphin Mile horse.”
Dubai World Cup Winner Returns
Laurel Rivers wins the big one (Pic – ERA)
In a week which saw him awarded co Longines World’s Best Racehorse at a glittering ceremony in London, Dubai World Cup winner Laurel River returns in the Gr3 Firebreak Stakes (presented by Longines).
Explaining the decision to drop to a mile, Seemar said: “in my opinion it’s always better to start shorter and build up. I didn’t want to train him for ten furlongs [2000metres] now as that’s a lot of extra works.
“Our goal is the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup, so this is just a prep. He’s ready for it, he’s doing very, very well. He’s as fit as he can be without having had a race.”
Laurel River’s nine rivals include stablemate Artorius, G1 winner King Gold and Meshtri, who won the Gr2 Al Maktoum Mile over course and distance in December.
Heart Of Honor goes for Classic Glory
Jamie Osborne’s Heart Of Honor is two from two in Dubai but now must step up to Group 3 level when he faces 15 rivals in the Gr3 UAE 2000 Guineas (presented by Longines)
“He looks fantastic; the team here have done a great job,” said the trainer. “Obviously it’s going to be his biggest test. There’s a lot of runners so we’re going to need a bit of luck. There will be loads of pace on and he’s not the best in the gate. He’s just not properly sharp yet, so he’s going to have to get a bit of dirt in his face.
“Hopefully he’s going the right way. He looks like the best three-year-old dirt colt we’ve seen out here so far.
Heart Of Honor’s chief rivals could be Giustino, three from three in Argentina, and Golden Vekoma, winner of a 1400metre Conditions race last time out.
The Gr3 Al Khail Trophy (presented by Longines) closes the card and has attracted a field of ten, including Geelong Cup winner Onesmoothoperator.
“He loves travelling, he enjoys the one-on-one experience,” said trainer Brian Ellison. “He did a good work out on Tuesday with Ben Robinson [jockey] on him and we’re very happy with him.
“He’s adaptable but he needs a nice gallop as you have to ride a waiting race on him. He’s got a great turn of foot.”
The race has a European look to it, with three other British raiders taking their chance: Caius Chorister for David Menuisier; Prydwen for George Scott and Epic Poet for David O’Meara.
Tuz Goes for Four in a Row
Tuz in action (Pic – ERA)
It’s nearly a year since Tuz last tasted defeat and Dubai’s resident rocket will aim for his fourth win in a row in the Gr3 Al Shindagha Sprint (presented by Longines), race eight.
“He’s doing so well, I just don’t want him to get too fresh and it’s a long time until Super Saturday,” said trainer Seemar, who also runs course and distance winner Morning.
“We have five weeks between Super Saturday and the Dubai World Cup this year so he might run again then too.”
Tuz faces eight rivals, including Colour Up, second to him twice this season, and the unbeaten Ma Yetal, who returns after a year off.
The card’s other sprint, the Gr2 Blue Point Sprint (presented by Longines) looks open, but does feature last year’s runner-up Ponntos, who is reunited with Mickael Barzalona. His nine opponents include Fitri Hay’s Jakajaro, a new recruit to trainer Robert Cowell.
“He’s not overbig but a nice, compact strong horse who we bought from the sales,” he said. “He’s got some nice form over five furlongs [1000metres]. He arrives fairly fit, but I think he’s probably got it all to do in a Group 2. We will mix him in there and see how he gets on.”
Racing begins at 15h30 with the Gr1 Maktoum Challenge Round 2 for Purebred Arabians, in which 2022 Gr1 Dubai Kahayla Classic winner First Classs lines up against Barakka, winner of this race 12 months ago.
