The first Dubai World Cup Carnival race meeting today has a total prize purse of US$ 960,000 with many Dubai World Cup trials instore. The meeting is headlined by the Gr.3 US$200,000 Dubawi Stakes which was won by Zabeel Stables’ Ravens’ Corner last year. Red Stables’ Drafted is the horse that needs no introduction and will be the one to beat in this race. Master of Red Stables, Doug Watson, also saddles Waady, owned by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The 8YO son of Approve will be making his fifth start at Meydan this season. He has been seen steadily improving, he won the Reach by Gulf News 1200m Handicap and was runner up to Ibn Malik in the Garhoud Sprint (Listed) last month.
“Drafted is amazing in that he really powers home in these sprint races on the Meydan dirt, which so few horses do,” Watson said. “We decided to wait for this to get him started. Waady is very fast and goes there in good form. I hope both can run big races.”
The master of Zabeel Stables saddles 6YO Lavaspin and Gr.3 Hutcheson Stakes winner Gladiator King, owned by HH Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi.
“We are really looking forward to running them both,” Seemar said. “Gladiator King arrived at a good time in the summer, has acclimatised well and settled into our routine. Lavaspin is a horse we have always really liked but has not always been straightforward to train. We think he is worthy of his place in this company and hopes he can prove it on Thursday.”
Shadwell’s Ibn Malik under UAE’s veteran jockey Jim Crowley will be looking to take home a second consecutive victory at Meydan after his Garhoud Sprint (L) win last month.
International raider Pia Brandt will saddle 11-time winner Tour to Paris, making his Dubai Debut for a conditioner who won last season’s UAE 1000 Guineas (Listed) with Silva.
Mahab Al Shimaal runner-up Nine Below Zero, UAE 2000 Guineas Trial victor Walking Thunder and G2-placed Neverland Rock complete the line-up.
The Gr.3 Dubawi Stakes is a key race for Gr.1 Dubai Golden Shaheen on the Dubai World Cup undercard.
The inaugural 1400m Meydan Challenge (L) is headlined by Gr.1 Shadwell Turf Mile winner Suedois who is trained by David O’Meara for George Turner & Clipper Logistics. He has been eye-catching during morning track work.
O’Meara said: “He likes seven furlongs to a mile. This is the obvious start point and then we will look at those good handicaps for him. Later on, we’ll look at a race like the Group 2 Zabeel Mile. He’ll likely have three races between January and February. He will be ready. He’s an older horse and I wanted to keep him going through the winter. He fits well into the races in Dubai.”
Bahraini Fawzi Nass-trained Listed winner Legendary Lunch, also making his seasonal debut, Gr.2 winner Championship and promising Saeed bin Suroor trainee Dubai Legacy, a last-out Newmarket winner for Godolphin.
Nass said: “This has been the plan,” Nass said. “(We wanted) to get him back on the track and we hope he will run well in a competitive contest.”
Another newly upgraded race, the Dubai Racing Club Classic (L) is headlined by 2019 Dubai World Cup-winning trainer’s Mountain Hunter, winner of the equivalent race last year.
“We are excited to be back at Meydan for the Dubai World Cup Carnival and looking forward to the next few months,” Bin Suroor said. “Mountain Hunter is in good form and we obviously know the conditions suit him.”
His top rival will be William Haggas trainee and Wild Flower Stakes winner Pablo Escobarr.
Four others from Godolphin all figure well, including the Charlie Appleby-trained pair of Zaman and Lucius Tiberius and Saeed Bin Suroor trained Dubai Horizon and Gifts of Gold as well as Mick Channon-conditioned Koeman.
The UAE 1000 Guineas Trial is highlighted by Doug Watson-trained Rio Angie, super-impressive local winner, Down on Da Bayou, hard-trying Simon Crisford pupil Last Surprise and Royal Ascot-placed Godolphin colour-bearer Final Song.
The 1,000m turf race is spotlighted by Phoenix Thoroughbreds owned Pocket Dynamo who will be racing alongside, Hot Scot Racing, Zabeel Stables’ Riflescope, Gr.2 winner Caspian Prince A Momentofmadness, Sweden’s Ambiance and Spain’s Blueberry.
While the US$175,000 Dirt Handicap is headlined by Gr.1 alumnus New Trails, racing alongside Gr.1 winner Saltarin Dubai and Gr.2 UAE Derby-placed Manguzi.
Patrick Wahl-trained Swedish import Red Hot Chili seeks his 10th victory from 37 starts, while trainer Doug Watson sends out the capable duo of Grand Argentier and Tried and True.