Race 6 of the Dubai World Cup Race Meeting, the Dubai Golden Shaheen, is a Group one race run over 1200m (6f) on Dirt for a prize money of $2 million at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. Nine horses will fight for the title. The race card includes 2017 winner Mind Your Biscuits and 2016 winner Maurrab.

It’s going to be an interesting match where Chad Summers trained Mind Your Biscuits will get a chance to get even at Roy H. These two last met at the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November at Del Mar. The Son of More Than Ready was on home turf and with his tactical speed won that race. On the other hand, the son Posse was at a disadvantage with a short stretch and only managed a third position. But this time it’s different. They will run on a course where he has proved himself and will also be defending his title.

However in terms of confidence and race form, Roy H comes in this race with a win at the Gr2 Palos Verdes but against a field of four and Mind Your Biscuits comes with a fighting second at the GP AlwOC at Gulfstream Park.

Roy H will be joined by Jorge Navarro trained X Y Jet a six year old seasoned racer with multiple wins under his belt.  He was the race favorite in the 2016 version of this race but could only manage to come second behind Maurrab. The son Kantharos comes in this race Sunshine Millions Sprint at Gulfstream Park in January this year. What makes him a tough competitor in this race is his last win was on dirt and over the same distance and finishing the race in 1:09.86 whereas last year Mind Your Biscuits had managed to win the race in 1:10.91.

“He’s just one of the boys of the barn,” Navarro said. “I really like our chances going into the race – perhaps just as good or better than Sharp Azteca’s. Everything has gone right for him since he came back and he ran a huge race last out at Tampa. It was a gutsy call to take him up there and I stressed about it for two weeks, but I’m glad we did. Now I don’t have to put six or seven works in him and he will be ready (because of that race).

“He hasn’t been an easy horse to train because you have to figure him out,” Navarro continued. “He’s an old warrior with battle wounds, so you just have to manage him and let him tell you when he’s ready to do things. His attitude hasn’t changed at all. He’s still a mean horse who wants to tear you up sometimes and (when he runs) he loves the competition, but he also protects himself.”

Maurrab and Reynaldothewizard both come in this race from a defeat in the Gr3 Al Shindagha Sprint where My Catch won and these two came in fifth and third respectively. However the Doug Watson trained My Catch comes in this race with a dismal performance at the Gr3 Mahab Al Shimaal coming in eleventh. He lost this race to Jordan Sport, who will also run in this race. The son of Dubawi is in great form and great mood to crush any competition. With his win at the Mahab Al Shimaal, trainer Fawzi Nas will definitely want to replicate his double win in 2012. Fawzi Nas won a double Mahab Al Shimaal & the Dubai Golden Shaheen with Krypton Factor. 

We have many scores to settle and of course a race to win as well but only time will tell us who will prevail.

By Apurva Chavan, Racing Writer, apurva.chavan@secretariatsworld.com