A stellar cast of 15 equine stars are set to do battle in
the Group 1, $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic in one of the classiest renewals of
the turf race on Saturday’s Dubai World Cup card. The 2012 winner of the 2410-meter contest, French galloper
Cirrus des Aigles, is among those to grace the Meydan turf and attempt to
become the first to make history by winning the contest twice.
Pouring cold water on French hopes though, is the fact that
the gelding, trained by Corine Barande-Barbe, was handed a nightmare draw on
Wednesday and will break from 15, right on the outside.
“That is disappointing,” Barande-Barbe said. “We may well have to change
tactics from out there. I will discuss it with our jockey Christophe Soumillon. At least the horse is fit and well after a prep run on the all-weather in
France which he really needed.”
When winning the race two years ago, Cirrus des Aigles was
chased home by St Nicholas Abbey, subsequent winner of the 2013 renewal, and
fans of Japanese supermare Gentildonna will be hoping that pattern is
repeated.
The dual Japan Cup winner was a hot favorite for this race
last year but could not get past St Nicholas Abbey and connections will be
hoping to go one better this year with Ryan Moore a positive jockey booking.
“I have been very pleased with her work and
her last fast gallop was a good one,” said Gentildonna’s trainer, Sei Ishizaka.
“She has settled in really well, on this her
second trip, and we are very hopeful of a big run.”
When winning her second Japan Cup last year, the mare had a nose
in hand over compatriot Denim and Ruby, they give the country a strong
presence in a race that went to Japanese connections in 2001 with Stay Gold and
2006 with Heart’s Cry.
Last year saw Aidan and Jospeh O’Brien win the Sheema for the
first time with St Nicholas Abbey, and this term they
combine with one of the leading lights in Magician. Winner of both the Irish Two
Thousand Guineas and Breeders’ Cup Turf last season, in which he defeated Dubai Duty Free favorite The Fugue,
the
Galileo four-year-old has a great draw in four. The claims of Magician’s stablemate Festive Cheer
are less obvious, though.
Mars is having his third start for new connections in this spot and has yet
to fire in two UAE starts over
shorter trips, but these look his optimum conditions. Formerly trained by O’Brien,
he is now with South African
Mike de Kock, who won this race in 2008 with Sun Classique.
“We have a nice low draw and he is in good form at home. It
is obviously a strong race but he can run well,” de Kock commented.
Dunaden, Meandre, Ambivalent and
Dominant are all Group 1 winners, with the latter taking last year’s
Hong Kong Vase for John Moore.
“We did not draw well and it is a very strong race but our horse seems in
good form,” Moore said.
The already-prestigious Dubai Sheema Classic is set to hit even
greater highs in the future with the announcement on Wednesday by Meydan Group
Chairman Saeed Al Tayer that prize money for this race and the Dubai Duty Free
will each be increased to $6 million in 2015.
Before that happens, though, this year’s Group 1, $5 million Dubai Duty Free
will feature one of the strongest races on the Dubai World Cup card
as 13 are set to face the starter in the 1800-meter turf affair.
Super Saturday’s Jebel Hatta, over the same course
and distance, was won by Vercingetorix, trained by previous Duty Free winner de Kock.
The South African boasts three prior victories, including with Right Approach who
famously dead-heated in the 2004 renewal. Unbeaten after six career starts, Vercingetorix has
looked a potential superstar but his trainer urges a note of caution.
“We basically do not know how good he is or how much more he can improve. He is
a lazy horse at home and, on the track, he wins his races with the minimum
effort,” de Kock admitted. “Basically, Saturday is his toughest task to date and should answer a few
questions. A lower draw would have been preferable but we are really looking
forward to running him against the likes of The Fugue.”
England is well represented by Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s The Fugue, originally
thought to be a Dubai World Cup candidate but switched to this contest last
weekend. The Dansili mare looks guaranteed to run a big race for trainer John Gosden
and jockey William Buick, therefore representing the same connections as 2010
Sheema Classic winner Dar Re Mi.
“She had two easy days when she arrived and
did a piece of steady work Thursday as she will Friday,” Gosden declared. “I’m very happy with her.
It was always the plan to keep her in training at five so hopefully she can
vindicate that decision.”
The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Dank, a dual Grade 1
winner in America last year, has also reportedly settled in well. David Simcock, trainer of a third English challenger
in Trade Storm, is also happy
with his charge.
“He did his last serious work on Wednesday and went nicely,” Simcock
commented. “The turf
has taken the rain very well and they were flicking the top off, but it was a
sound, firm footing underneath.”
Tasaday and Hunter’s Light both represent Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor. Favorite when disappointing in last year’s
Dubai World Cup, Hunter’s Light is a Group 1 winner on both turf and
all-weather.
“The 1800 meter is going to really suit him and we know he has
improved a lot from his one previous run this season,” bin Suroor stated. “He did a really pleasing
piece of work on Sunday and I am very happy with him.”
Japan is particularly well represented with three runners,
of whom Just a Way looks the leading light. He beat subsequent Japan Cup
heroine and Dubai Sheema Classic hopeful Gentildonna in last year’s Tenno Sho and won his prep race nicely earlier this month.
“He had a nice, strong gallop on Wednesday and we were very pleased with him.
We are very happy with our draw in two,” trainer Naosuke Sugai said.
“All being well, he will run a very good race on Saturday as everything has gone
to plan so far.”
Hong Kong’s Blazing Speed, trained by Tony Cruz, has
been pleasing his trainer and did his last fast piece of work on the all-weather
surface on Wednesday.
“We are very pleased with him and things have gone smoothly,” Cruz
remarked.
“Wednesday’s gallop was his last serious one and he is fit and ready to race so
it will just be light exercise between now and the race.”
In addition to the above pair of turf events, spectators on the richest day of racing will be treated to
a fascinating renewal of the Group 1, $1 million Al Quoz Sprint going 1000
meters on the green. Last year’s winner Shea Shea is back to defend his crown
against new kid in town, the Hong Kong speedball Amber Sky.
Shea Shea is the form horse at Meydan, holding the track record set last year
and winning the Super Saturday Meydan Sprint in his
seasonal debut. De Kock’s hopes were bolstered when his
charge was drawn 12 of 12 on Wednesday and, therefore, gets to race along his
beloved standside rail. His jockey, Soumillon was understandably delighted with
the news.
“I soon learned that he likes a bit of cover and a rail to
race against so that is the ideal draw,” the rider said.
Hong Kong speedster Amber Sky, trained by Ricky Yiu,
could not have been more impressive when winning a 1000-meter Sha Tin dash in January
and looks a massive danger to de Kock’s charge. He and work rider Raymond Tam were out in the heavy rain
early on Wednesday morning.
“The weather did not faze him and he was a lot happier than I was out there,”
Tam joked.
Compatriot and 10-year-old veteran Joy and Fun
actually won this race for trainer Derek Cruz the first year it was contested on
Dubai World Cup night, when it was run over 1200 meters in 2010. He was then third in
2012 and second last year after the switch to 1000 meters.
Ahtoug was Charlie Appleby’s first 2014 Dubai World
Cup Carnival runner when landing a 1000-meter turf handicap back at the first meeting
in early January. He has since been unable to find winning ways, coming up
against Shea Shea, but his trainer is pleased with his charge.
“We were obviously delighted with that first
win but nothing went right on his second start when he was drawn on the wrong
side,” Appleby said. “He bounced back with a very good second behind Medicean
Man but excelled on Super Saturday, finding only Shea Shea too good over
Saturday’s course and distance. Hopefully he has another big run in him.”
Dual Group 1 winner Sole Power, representing Ireland,
was fourth to Shea Shea 12 months ago having been just in front of Joy and Fun
when second in 2012. He and Shea Shea have clashed regularly and the Eddie Lynam-trained
sprinter did beat his old rival at Royal Ascot last year, just denying him in
the King’s Stand, also over 1000 meters.
From a sprint to a marathon, the 3200-meter, $1 million Dubai Gold Cup was upgraded to Group 2 status this year
and is the first of the Dubai World Cup day turf
races. The race has been dominated by the Godolphin trainers since it was first
contested in 2009.
Bin Suroor will be seeking a fourth win in the race
and saddles Cavalryman, winner of the race last year and bidding to become
the first dual winner of the most recent addition to the Dubai World Cup card. The comfortable winner of the
2800-meter Nad Al Sheba Trophy in his seasonal return four weeks ago, he looks the one they all
have to beat.
However bin Suroor’s chances of Group 2 glory in this race
do not begin and end with Cavalryman. Stablemate Songcraft won a
2400-meter handicap at the Dubai World Cup Carnival in February before an excellent
second in the Dubai City of Gold on Super Saturday, over the same trip.
“Cavalryman won very nicely on his
seasonal return four weeks ago and has been freshened up for this race,” bin
Suroor said. “He won
it last year so we know 3200 meters is fine and his last piece of work, last Saturday,
was very good.
Star Empire, second to Cavalryman in the Nad Al Sheba
Trophy, was fifth in this race 12 months ago and it is hard to see an obvious
reason why he should reverse form with bin Suroor’s crack stayer.
Third in the Nad Al Sheba Trophy was Irish challenger
Certerach, two places ahead of compatriot Simenon who was noted
staying on strongly under jockey Ryan Moore. Trained by Willie Mullins, Moore’s
mount on that occasion has not won since Royal Ascot in June 2012 but has run
some great races in defeat, including an excellent fourth in last year’s
Melbourne Cup.
“The extra distance is in our favor but Cavalryman is going to be hard
to beat,” Mullins admitted.
However, it looks significant that Moore rides Joshua Tree
in the race for Ed Dunlop while Pat Smullen comes in for the mount on
Simenon.
Sixth in Super Saturday’s Group 1 concluding round of the
Al Maktoum Challenge, Joshua Tree and Moore won last year’s Canadian
International, a 2400-meter contest the horse had also won in 2010 and 2012 at
Woodbine.
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