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DUBAI WORLD CUP CARNIVAL

Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by Gulf News attracts 275 Nominees

The US$2 million Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, sponsored by Gulf News, and the third round of the 2012 Global Sprint Challenge, has attracted 275 nominations from 15 countries, including the past two winners of the race in Kinsale King and Rocket Man.
Contested over 1,200m on the all-weather surface for three-year-olds and older, this race has been dominated by the USA with 13 of the 16 winners coming from America. This year the USA is represented by 36 entries.
Ireland and Hong Kong both have six entries while Australia and Singapore each have five.
Dhruba Selvaratnam, one of two trainers to have won this race twice (Mudallel 1998 and Ramp and Rave 1999) has three entered, and they join 177 other horses from the UAE.
The race could offer one of the most exciting showdowns in racing history if the Australian-based duo of Black Caviar and Sepoy line up. Last Friday Black Caviar increased her unbeaten sequence to 17 with a dominating win in the Group 2 Australia Stakes and Dubai could be the start of a world tour for the champion. Sepoy, bred in Australia by Darley Stud, is owned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and beaten just once in 11 starts and unbeaten in four runs at Group 1 level. Last season’s two-year-old champion of Australia and that country’s premier three-year-old sprinter, he has been set for the Dubai Golden Shaheen.
Black Caviar and Sepoy are both eligible for two events on the Dubai World Cup programme as they were also entered in the Dubai Golden Shaheen and the Group 1 Al Quoz, sponsored by Emirates NBD.

The Global Sprint Challenge for the first time, a 10-race series of international races for sprinters contested in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

Etisalat connects with Meydan’s Dubai World Cup Carnival this Thursday

The 2012 Dubai World Cup Carnival continues at Meydan on Thursday night with a seven race programme, sponsored by Etisilat, featuring the opening rounds of the Maktoum Challenges for Thoroughbreds and Purebred Arabians. Both races are 1600 metre contests on the all-weather track.

In the thoroughbred division Mendip, winner of the race 12 months ago, will be one of three to carry the familiar blue colours of locally based powerhouse Godolphin stables.

Hstory is against Frankie Dettori's mount as no horse has won this race twice but trainer Saeed bin Suroor sounds hopeful of a big run and said: "We have given him a lovely break over the summer and he is fresh and very well indeed. He is working just as well as he was last year before the race and has a great draw in one. We have to be thinking he will run a big race but it looks a strong renewal. I also have Secrecy in the field and he has been going well on the [all-weather] at Al Quoz. This looks a good race to start him back."

Godolphin's other trainer Mahmoud Al Zarooni, with three 2012 Carnival winners to his name already, relies on Xin Xu Lin, fifth in last year's UAE Derby on his first start for Al Zarooni. A multiple Group One winner in South America he, like Mendip, has been given the summer off and Al Zarooni explained: "He ran well for a long way in the UAE Derby before tiring so we have freshened him up and he seems in really good form. The trip will be his minimum but I am expecting a good run."

Also doubly represented is South African trainer Mike de Kock with Christophe Soumillon riding Musir, suggesting he is slightly more fancied than Master Of Hounds, the mount of Kevin Shea.

Soumillon's mount won the UAE Derby in 2010 (Mendip was third) and was last seen when winning a valuable turf prize in Turkey, whereas Shea's horse was second in the 2011 UAE Derby when trained in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien and is having his first start for his new yard.

De Kock said: "Both are going well at home and pleasing us but I expect they will both improve a lot for the run. I think Musir is better on turf and this could be his only [all-weather] run this year, while Master Of Hounds is going to better over further I think. They are both ready for a run but it seems a strong race this year."

Last season’s UAE champion trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe saddles Derbaas who has the advantage of a run after a good third on turf last week. His jockey Richard Hills said: "That was a good run last week and should have put him spot on for this. He is very good on both surfaces and we have a nice draw."

The Marco Botti-trained Fanunalter may prove best of two United Kingdom challengers, although Ed Vaughan's Dance And Dance is a very capable performer also.

Classic clues should be offered in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial Sponsored By Etisalat over 1400m on the all-weather track where de Kock is double-handed. Shea rides Enjoy Dubai who has to give weight to his 13 rivals having won in Group Three company in his native Argentina, with Soumillon on Mickdaam.

The trainer sounds hopeful, as opposed to confident, and said: "Enjoy Dubai may find the trip on the long side, whereas Mickdaam will need further I think but we need to get them on the track."

Bin Suroor's Rassam, the mount of Dettori and Al Zarooni's Kinglet, to be ridden by Mickael Barzalona, give Godolphin a another strong hand.

UK trainer Brian Meehan also saddles two, Right To Dream under Martin Dwyer and Mehdi, the mount of William Buick. Ireland is represented by Strait of Zanzibar and Bible Black, to be ridden by Shane Foley and Ryan Moore respectively.

Former UAE Champion jockey Ted Durcan rides Dark Matter, who has good form in Singapore.

No Risk Al Maury winner of the Purebred Arabian version in each of the past two season has retired from racing and his absence lends a very open look to the 2012 edition. Fryvolous was second 12 months ago and his new trainer Ernst Oertel currently has his team in great form.

No Risk Al Maury's former trainer Gill Duffield relies on AF Alghabra who beat the Doug Watson- trained Kandar Du Falgas, owned, as was No Risk Al Maury, by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum at their most recent clash.

Williams and Gamilati master Meydan

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minster of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was present at Meydan Racecourse on Friday afternoon to watch Godolphin's Gamilati score a bloodless victory in the 1400m UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Presented By Longines on the all-weather.

A Group Two winner on turf in the UK, the three-year-old daughter of Bernardini was always travelling ominously well under Frankie Dettori and once the pair hit the front about 200m out the result was never in doubt.

Trained by Mahmoud Al Zarooni, she was giving weight to all her five rivals as a result of her big race win in the UK and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed said: "She did well for us in England with a good win at Newmarket and we have decided to bring here to try and win the 1000 Guineas. That will be her next start and we will then think about what she does afterwards."

Dettori added: "I was always happy that I was going best and she quickened nicely when I asked her. That was her first race on the [all-weather] and she certainly handled it well."

The two day Dubai World Cup Carnival meeting was generously sponsored by Longines and also featured the Meydan Masters International Jockey Challenge and at the conclusion of the fourth and final leg it was Australian Craig Williams who came out on top.

Ireland's Colm O'Donoghue had won the first leg on Thursday but could not maintain that advantage.

The first of the three legs on Friday, a 1900m all-weather handicap, was won by Japan's Kenichi Izekoe on Street Act for championship-leading trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe before Williams scored what proved a crucial victory on Graymalkin for trainer Mubarak bin Shafya. So close was the scoring that going into the last race all bar four of the 12 jockeys could still win the coveted prize.

That final leg, the 1400m turf Longines St Imier Collection, was won by Christophe Lemaire, ironically one of the four out of contention on Firestreak for trainer Musabah Al Muhairi.

They prevailed in a photo finish from Williams on Angels Pursuit and the ever-popular Australian ended up with 110 points to win the title from O'Donoghue who finished with 96 points.

A delighted Williams said: "These jockey competitions are great fun and it is brilliant to win one here in Dubai at such a magnificent venue. It was very close going into the last and I am really pleased to come out on top. I rode as stable jockey to John Sadler for one season about 10 years ago and have always really liked Dubai."

Bin Shafya was to complete a double and will hope that Jamr will a genuine Carnival prospect after a second consecutive impressive victory in the Longines Master Moon Phases. Having won well over 2000m on his UAE debut a fortnight ago, he followed up stepped up to 2200m under Pat Cosgrave who said: "He has not had much racing and has impressed me there as he was running away at the end having taken a moment to understand what I wanted him to do. Hopefully there is more to come."

Trainer Satish Seemar enjoyed a first and last race double with Sand Stamp winning the opening 1200m Longines Dolce Vita Collection under Richard Mullen before Harry Bentley was in the saddle on Lord Tiger who overcame a sluggish start to win the concluding Longines Conquest Collection over the same course and distance.

Maxime Guyon wants more of Dubai

Frankie Dettori said that the next generation of talented jockeys was in France. Judging by Mickael Barzalona’s success at the opening day of the 2012 Dubai World Cup Carnival, he was absolutely spot on.

However, in France, the jockey who was talked about the most in 2011 was Maxime Guyon. At 22, he is only two years older than Barzalona, who happens to be working in the same yard of André Fabre and is also a close friend.

He didn’t get to ride Pour Moi in the Epsom Derby, but Guyon did find classic success at home when he guided Golden Lilac to victory in the Group One Prix de Diane.

The jockey also managed to add the Grand Prix de Paris, the Prix Jean Romanet and Prix Royal Oak to his impressive record. Success though is not something he dwells on as he says: “Actually I’m not sure how many Group One victories I had last year. I think it was seven. Seven in France and two in Hong Kong.”

For the second winter now, Guyon has gone to Hong Kong, an experience he enjoys but an experience that did probably cost him the Jockey’s title in France. He had been going strong, but then Christophe Soumillon decided to join the battle for the title and every day the two top jockeys played catch-up. In the end, Guyon had to honour his contract in Hong Kong, which meant he left France with still a month to go of the 2011 season.

When he left, he had ridden 156 winners which was not enough to stop Christophe Soumillon who took the title thanks to 162 winners. Guyon though doesn’t have too many regrets when he says: “I always knew that I was going to Hong Kong in December and it was difficult to fight for the title.”

He pauses and adds: “Sure I was a bit disappointed, but it wasn’t my first objective of the season. I will have my revenge one day, I hope. It’s important in a career of a jockey, but I hope that I still will have many opportunities to get that title. Who knows, maybe I will come here one year for the Carnival and that would give me the opportunity to complete the season in France.”

It sounds like Dubai has left a big impression on him and he confirms: “I love it here. I’m really excited to ride in the [Meydan] Masters. Dubai has such a great reputation and to ride in these conditions, against the best jockeys in the world, it’s great. I really would like to at least once in my life stay for the entire Carnival. So if I would get an offer from a trainer, I would seriously consider it.”

There is no doubt that he would be a valuable addition to the Carnival that already attracts the world’s jockey elite on a regular basis. For the time being though, he concentrates on Hong Kong and he concludes: “Last year, when I went to Hong Kong, I had a great season. I rode fifteen winners, including two Group One races. This time round, it’s been a little bit more difficult. I am going to stay a couple of days in Dubai after the [Meydan] Masters, as I have been suspended, but then I am going back for another month. And I hope with all my heart that I can still ride some winners out there and hence reward the trainers who trust me.”

It looks like the next generation of talented jockeys does indeed come from France, but it is also a generation that is by no means satisfied with staying there. Barzalona, Guyon, here they come!

Mahbooba takes Al Rashidiya Trial

The Mike de Kock-trained Mahbooba was the impressive winner of the 1800m Al Rashidiya Trial Presented By Longines, the featured turf race on the first night of the 2012 Dubai World Cup Carnival at a meeting kindly sponsored by Longines.

First one past the post in last year's UAE 1000 Guineas, Mahbooba was a winner in England during the summer and won well to the delight of winning jockey Christophe Soumillon who said: "She was good on [all-weather] last year but seems just as good on the turf. This trip of 1800m was probably as short as she would want as she won over 2400m in England and stays well. I am not sure what future plans will be but we should have plenty of options with her and she is an ideal sort for the Carnival."

De Kock is second only to Saeed bin Suroor in the history of the Carnival and it was the Godolphin handler who made a flying start to the evening when his Sarrsar won the opening 1900m Longines Conquest Collection handicap from stable companion Cappone.

Stable jockey Frankie Dettori was on the runner-up on that occasion but quickly made amends in the following 2200m Longines Prima Luna on bin Suroor's Honour System.

Bin Suroor said: "We have some nice horses for the Carnival and these two will probably be kept busy in this kind of race. It is a great start to the year and hopefully we have more winners to come."

Dettori completed his own double in the concluding 1400m turf Longines Saint Imier Collection on Time Prisoner who was also part of a brace for Godolphin's other handler, Mahmood Al Zarooni.

Al Zarooni had earlier saddled City Style to beat stable companion Bridgefield in the 1600m Longines Master Collection Moon Phases with Mickael Barzalona completing his double in the process on a great night for the whole Godolphin team.

Al Zarooni said: "That is a great start to our Carnival and hopefully it can continue. We have some nice horses to run this year but it is just great to make a winning start."

The first international winner of the 2012 Dubai World Cup Carnival came from the UK in the form of Addictive Dream, trained by Carnival regular Dandy Nicholls. It was the trainer’s first UAE winner at the 66th attempt.

His son Adrian was in the saddle and the winning trainer said: "Finally we have managed to win one. I think it is 10 years we have been trying now! We thought we had a decent chance but I was a bit worried he might have hit the front a bit too soon. Luckily he held on and it is just brilliant for the owners and whole team."

The opening leg of the Meydan Masters International Jockey Challenge went to Furnace, trained by Erwan Charpy and ridden by Irishman Colm O'Donoghue.

Charpy said: "That was a great ride from a top jockey. He was able to get an easy lead and judged it perfectly."

The jockey goes into Friday's final three races in the challenge with a healthy lead and said: "It is nice to get a win on the board. Tomorrow will be interesting as there are a lot of very good jockeys here so it will not be easy to hold on but I will be trying hard."

TODAY'S NEWS

AGA KHAN BREDS IN GOFFS CATALOGUE

The Aga Khan Studs will present a six-strong draft of unexposed three and four-year-olds at the forthcoming Goffs mixed sale on 15th and 16th February. All except one member of the consignment are unraced and come from some excellent families.
Lot 314 Zargan boasts a particularly appealing pedigree, as he represents the same cross as champion filly Zarkava. Like the five-time Gr 1 winner, Zargan is by Zamindar. He comes from the same maternal line of Petite Etoile as Zarkava as her fifth dam Zahra is Zargan’s third dam. Three-year-old colt Zargan is a half-brother to three winners, including Listed winner and Gr 2 runner-up Set To Music and the prolific Zaranal (11 wins). This is also the family of black-type hurdlers Zafarabad, Zabari and Zarkandar.
Sanndiyr (Red Ransom, lot 308) is another very well-bred individual, being out of a half-sister to champion racehorse and leading French sire Sinndar. Winning mare Sinndiya has already produced three successful progeny, including Listed scorer Sindirana (Kalanisi). Sanndiyr is a close relative to top-class jumps performers Simarian (Gr 2 hurdle winner) and Mistinguett (Gr 1 and Gr 2 wins).
Habesh (lot 293), Mazarak (lot 298) and Shirampour (lot 307) all have pages rich in black type. The former is a son of Rock Of Gibraltar, out of a winning half-sister to Gr 3 victrix Harghar and Gr 2 hurdles scorer Hariymi. An Amadeus Wolf half-brother to three winners, Mazarak is the great grandson of Gr 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and Prix Robert Papin heroine Masarika, granddam to Group 1 scorers Eagle Mountain and Sulk. Oasis Dream colt Shirampour is out of a winning half-sister to Gr 1 third Shediak and descends from the prolific broodmare Shemaka .
The sole filly of the draft is lot 394 Ridiyka, a daughter of dual Derby and Arc winner Sinndar. The three-year-old filly is out of a winning Desert King dam and is closely related to Group 1 placed over fences Notus De La Tour.

Ambitious Dragon scorches to a stunning victory in the HKG1 Stewards’ Cup

Four days after Sha Tin’s Chinese New Year raceday welcomed in the Year of the Dragon, the iconic racetrack witnessed the ‘Return of the Dragon’ as Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year swept to a scintillating victory in the HKG1 Stewards’ Cup.
The Tony Millard-trained Ambitious Dragon headed into the 1600m contest, the 1st Leg of Hong Kong’s Triple Crown, with a point to prove after tasting defeat in his two previous outings, most recently when fourth to the Tony Cruz-trained California Memory in the 2000m G1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup at the track on 11 December.

Ridden once again by champion jockey Douglas Whyte, Ambitious Dragon consigned those defeats to history as he posted a performance of the utmost class; sprinting clear when asked inside the final 300m and then cruising past the post a length and a quarter clear of the John Moore-trained Xtension, with old rival, the late-closing California Memory, a further three quarters of a length back in third.

“He’s back from that bad experience, that’s the main thing, he’s back!” said a delighted Millard. “I was a bit more confident today. Going into the Hong Kong Cup, we didn’t have a good run-in; he had a bad prep and going into the International race was just too hard.”

Millard, who is confident in the five-year-old’s ability at a range of distances, will now point his charge at the 2nd Leg of the Triple Crown, the HKG1 Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup over 2000m.

“I’m not somebody who puts the cart in front of the horse,” continued Millard, “but we will definitely go for the 2000m and then we will decide what we are going to do, but we are definitely going race by race.

“I don’t think the mile and a half (of the HKG1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup – 3rd Leg) will be a problem the way this horse can turn it on. Even today, I thought that Douglas could have gone a little bit later; he has a phenomenal turn of speed, the way that he can make it up.

“From my point of view, which is 5 cents worth, maybe it was a little bit too close – a length and a quarter was closer than I would have liked – but they didn’t go very fast and Douglas read the race very well.

“I think Ambitious Dragon is a true champion – he hasn’t got a (best) distance.”

Whyte, who rode a controlled race aboard the star attraction and even allowed himself a victory salute at the wire, was thrilled by the manner of success.

“He has the most scintillating turn of foot,” said the rider. “He turns it on so quickly, it’s fascinating. I’ve never felt a turn of foot on a horse like that before.

“It’s never easy, it always looks easy afterwards. He had an awkward alley with speed around him and some slow horses as well. It was always going to boil down to the pace of the race. As it worked out, in hindsight, it was an even tempo, there was no cracking gallop, but there was an even tempo and I was fortunate enough to be in a more prominent position than we planned. That was just due to the lack of speed and my horse carrying me into the race at the right time.”

In a 14-strong field that contained nine horses rated in the recently published World Thoroughbred Rankings, Ambitious Dragon was rated highest on 122 and lived up to his top billing, stopping the clock in a time of 1m 34.93s.

Thumbs Up, runner-up to Dunaden in the G1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase over 2400m on 11 December, finished a creditable two and a quarter lengths back in fourth over the shorter distance.

The remaining two legs of the Hong Kong Triple Crown are the Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) on 26 February and the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) on 27 May.

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