Kabirkhan Faces Eclectic Group In Defence Of Al Maktoum Challenge

[Wandering Eyes]

by Heather Anderson & Alan Carasso

Something of an unknown commodity when he arrived from Kazakhstan into the Dubai yard of Chief Stipe Watson a little over a year ago, Kabirkhan (California Chrome) announced his arrival on the world racing scene with a barnstorming victory in the 2024 G1 Al Maktoum Challenge (1900m) at Meydan. The flashy chestnut, who bears a striking resemblance to his G1 Dubai World Cup-winning sire, returns for the first time since disappointing in last year's $12-million feature and squares off against an internationally flavoured group.

Sent to America for a possible summer/fall campaign with Brad Cox, Kabirkhan never made it to the races and goes fresh-up back in Watson's hands on Friday.

“The team at WinStar Farm did a really good job with him over the summer,” the conditioner told the Dubai Racing Club. “He seems a bit stronger this year, coming into his 5-year-old year. We're looking forward to him.”

The chestnut faces a strong international challenge headed up by Team Valor International and Gary Barber's reigning G1 Dubai Turf hero Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}), who tries the dirt for the first time in his career for trainer Jerome Reynier en route to a possible appearance in Riyadh next month.

“The plan was to send him to Dubai for the winter and try him on dirt before the big race [Saudi Cup],” Reynier said. “He's training really well on the surface, but it will be a very different scenario with the rhythm and the kickback and everything. If he copes with conditions, he will go for the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup, but if he's not in the first three he'll go for the Singspiel Stakes on Super Saturday and then the Dubai Turf.”

Dolkong (Afleet Alex) struck at the 2019 Carnival for Korea with a listed win and Group 1 placing, and 2024 Horse of the Year and champion older horse Global Hit (Kor) (To Honor and Serve) flies the flag for the nation on Friday, having most recently won the valuable Grand Prix at home over 2300 metres on Dec. 1.

Head and shoulders above his turf contemporaries on Friday's card on paper is the 125-rated Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who is using the G1 Jebel Hatta presented by Longines as a springboard to the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup. Yes, he'll have to handle a different surface in that King Abdulaziz Racetrack affair next month, but he's well proven on turf in one of the toughest jurisdictions on the planet. Riding a seven-race winning streak all at either Group 1 or Group 2 level, the world's richest racehorse–with $22.82 million in the bank–landed the Longines Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin on Dec. 8 for an unprecedented third straight time last out.

“I believe he's at 80-90% of his best condition,” trainer Danny Shum said. “He doesn't need to be in top form right now, because our main goals are the following two races. For his next race on Friday, we don't need to push him too hard.”

Opposing the Peter Lau Pak Fai-owned Hong Kong wunderkind does not appear an easy task, with Godolphin's 2024 victor Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}) the closest on ratings at 118 and carrying a course record-setting win in the G2 Al Rashidiya on Festive Friday, Dec. 20 into this test.

Appleby, who has won this race four times, said, “We are following the same route we took with Measured Time last year and he was an impressive winner of the Al Rashidiya on his comeback run. He goes into this in great order.”

 

The Supporting Cast

Last year's G1 Dubai World Cup hero and the joint Longines World's Best Race Horse at 128, Laurel River (Into Mischief) holds pride of place in Friday's G3 Firebreak Stakes over 1600 metres. Bound for the G1 Saudi Cup in February and one of two in the race for Juddmonte alongside stakes winner and G2 Al Maktoum Mile third and 'TDN Rising Star' Artorius (Arrogate), he leaves from stall four in the 10-horse field. Wathan Racing's newly acquired listed winner and multiple graded-placed Cagliostro (Upstart) will start from stall nine.

“Our goal is the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup, so this is just a prep,” said Laurel River's trainer Bhupat Seemar. “He's ready for it, he's doing very, very well. He's as fit as he can be without having had a race.”

RRR Racing homebred Rafid (Into Mischief), a homebred son of 2018 G3 UAE Oaks heroine Rayya (Tiz Wonderful) placed three times from four starts in the states for Antonio Sano and takes in Friday's G3 UAE 2000 Guineas against the likes of Golden Vekoma (Vekoma), who defeated Russian raider Nimble Boy (Upstart) by 2 1/4 lengths in the Guineas Trial over 1400 metres Jan. 3.

Bhupat Seemar has always worked wonders with older sprinters, and the outstanding Tuz (Oxbow) is no exception. The 8-year-old, imperious in taking out last year's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, looks impossible to oppose in the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint. The ride of champion jockey Tadhg O'Shea, Tuz enters off easy victories in the Listed Al Garhoud Sprint and G3 Dubawi Stakes, where he had stablemate Colour Up (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) well behind in second on both occasions.

Godolphin's Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) looks to make it back-to-back wins in the G2 Al Fahidi Fort (1400m) against 2023 G1 Al Quoz Sprint upsetter Danyah (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), third in this longer test last term.

Multiple group winner Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}) aims for redemption in the G2 Blue Point Sprint presented by Longines after a runner-up performance in 2024. Meydan's Friday card is completed by the G3 Al Khail Trophy presented by Longines with Godolphin's two-time listed winner King Of Conquest (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) clear on ratings.

The post Kabirkhan Faces Eclectic Group In Defence Of Al Maktoum Challenge appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article