The third race of the 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival is highlighted by the first of the Carnival’s two fillies and mares’ features, the Gr. 2 $250,000 Cape Verdi. The evening is also highlighted by the fact that we see the earliest involvement by American-trained horses in Carnival history, as well as the first serious race for stayers with designs on the $1.5 million Dubai Gold Cup (G2) on Mar. 30. First race post time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Seven have been declared for the evening’s official feature, the feature race in which Saeed bin Suroor is seeking to saddle the winner for a sixth time and for the fourth year in succession after having landed last year’s renewal with Promising Run and the previous two editions with Very Special.

From Bin Suroor’s two runners, jockey Christophe Soumillon partners Asoof, a Godolphin homebred 4-year-old filly by Dubawi, while rider Kevin Stott will be aboard stable companion Victory Wave, who is making her second start of the Carnival after finishing sixth behind Another Batt on opening night over 1400m. Both are stepping up in class and out of handicap company, but their handler has a formidable record with improving young fillies markedly on their Dubai excursions.

Bin Suroor said: “Victory Wave has come out of that first race well, improved since and is going very nicely at home. This is a tougher race, but we expect a good run. Asoof has done particularly well since arriving in Dubai. She is only a small filly, but her work has been very good, so we are very much looking forward to running her.”

Charlie Appleby, who won this race in 2014 with Certify, relies on Godolphin’s Poetic Charm, the mount of James Doyle. A 1600m Listed winner in France last year, a campaign that finished in disappointment at Keeneland, she is another homebred Dubawi filly who could improve in her 4-year-old bow.

“After showing a good level of form in France, things did not go to plan in Keeneland, where she had a wide draw,” Appleby said. “The Dubai weather is really suiting her and if she can produce her French form, she will be very competitive.”

Turkish invader, Peri Lina, a winner of two Group Ones in Turkey in 2018, including one over this 1600m trip. She is joined by Denmark’s recently 2018 Listed-placed Monza and Great Britain’s 2018 Listed winner Mia Tesoro.

However, the main danger to the Godolphin trio could well be Furia Cruzada, trained at Meydan by Frenchman Erwan Charpy and, on her local debut, victorious in the Al Maktoum Challenge R2 (G2) over 1900m on dirt in 2017. Good enough to contest each of the last two Dubai World Cups, she was a Grade 1 turf winner before leaving her native South America and looks a big threat under Antonio Fresu.

Charpy said: “She is in good form and running against her own gender, when she will be the oldest runner in the race, so it looked a good spot for her. Her last piece of work, on turf, was very good and she has improved a lot with two runs under her belt this season.”

For the full race card and runner info please click HERE. 

Credit: Emirate Racing Authority