Super Saturday Tees Up Dubai World Cup Night Pointers

[Wandering Eyes]

Meydan's nine-race Super Saturday card features eight Thoroughbred contests, with several of them offering automatic entry into the big day in April. The G2 Al Maktoum Classic is one such race, with last year's G1 Al Maktoum Challenge hero Kabirkhan (California Chrome) signed on.

Trained by Chief Stipe Watson and the very image of his dual American Horse of the Year sire, the 5-year-old entire was only eighth to Laurel River (Into Mischief) in the G1 Dubai World Cup last March, and returned to action with a seventh-place finish defending his title in the Al Maktoum Challenge on Jan. 24.

“We thought we had him in good shape for his last race, off a ten-month layoff,” said trainer Chief Stipe Watson. “I think that he just got in the kickback and then he lost his action. I like the draw [9], a little wide, to keep out of the kickback. I think he will run a nice race.”

Tadhg O'Shea and Bhupat Seemar team up with Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who won a pair of Meydan handicaps earlier this season. He ran second to Walk Of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Al Maktoum Challenge on Jan. 24 and is looking for some redemption.

“He's done nothing wrong,” said the reigning UAE Champion Trainer. “He's won two races and he was second in the Group 1. There's no Walk Of Stars this time, but Kabirkhan is a good horse.”

Gun Runner's Guns And Glory, who races for Fitri Hay, could also be rounding into his best form and cuts back 200 metres in trip after taking a 2200-metre contest here on Jan. 31.

“He is being thrown a bit in the deep end here having broken the track record last time out,” said Alex Cole, racing manager to the Hay family.  “I feel he's earned a shot at this level and on Saturday night we'll find out if he's good enough or not.”

 

Decorated Nations Pride Looms Large in Singspiel

Godolphin's four-time Group 1 winner Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) appears to have the G2 Singspiel Stakes field at his mercy. After a productive American campaign that saw him run third in the GII Man O'War Stakes, second in the GI Manhattan Stakes and win the GI Arlington Million Stakes, the 6-year-old entire was unplaced in the G2 Bahrain International Trophy in November. He was a last-out ninth in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes on Jan. 25.

“Nations Pride put up a strong performance over this course and trip in the Dubai Turf two years ago and enjoyed a productive campaign in the United States last season,” said trainer Charlie Appleby, who has won this race twice. “He is a multiple Group 1 winner and looks a leading contender if he runs to his best.”

Godolphin also has First Conquest (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) entered. He is two-for-two over this trip in a Meydan handicap in January and in the G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes defeating Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road) on Jan. 31.

“First Conquest has done nothing wrong so far this winter and came out of the Dubai Millennium Stakes in good order,” he added. “He deserves to take another step up the ladder and will have no problem with the return to nine furlongs.”

Karl Burke saddles G1 Jebel Hatta third Holloway Boy (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), who leaves from stall three under Danny Tudhope. The Nick White and Elaine Burke runner had only Hong Kong Horse of the Year and G1 Saudi Cup second Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and the late Poker Face (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in front of him on Jan. 24.

 

Jumeirah Guineas Up For Grabs

The Meydan nightcap, the Listed Jumeirah 2000 Guineas sponsored by Emirates Holidays sees 10 colts and geldings vie for AED800,000 (€209,175) in prize-money. A clear head and shoulders above his contemporaries on ratings is William Buick's mount, 'TDN Rising Star' Ruling Court (Justify). That Godolphin runner blitzed a quality Sandown field by 5 1/2 lengths on debut in July, and was third to current G1 Derby favourite The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in York's G3 Acomb Stakes over seven furlongs in August. He is joined by Appleby's second string and three-time winner Hallasan (GB) (Pinatubo {Ire}), who is the only other runner rated over 100 in the 1600-metre affair. That gelding won the prep for this race, the Jumeirah Guineas Trial, locally at the end of January. The duo break from posts five and two, respectively, with James Doyle booked for Hallasan.

“Ruling Court won impressively on his debut and put up another strong effort in the Acomb Stakes, when he finished third behind two nice colts,” said Appleby. “The plan is to give him one run out here before heading back to Europe for a Classic trial, and this will hopefully guide us whether we go down the Guineas or Derby route.

On Hallasan, he added, “Hallasan progressed from his first start of the season to win the trial for this, with Al Qudra going on to frank the form by winning out in Qatar. He's a tough, honest horse who should be competitive again.”

Saffie Osborne will ride her father Jamie's The Fingal Raven (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) in this spot. Third to Hallasan in the Jumeirah Guineas Trial, the colt leaves from stall seven.

Among the six fillies for the Listed Jumeirah 1000 Guineas sponsored by Emirates Skywards, Godolphin has the 'TDN Rising Star' Mountain Breeze (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who will leave from stall two. Runner-up at Newmarket in both the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes in July and the G3 Sweet Solera Stakes in August, the filly was only eighth when traveling for the GI Natalma Stakes in Canada, but rebounded to win the Mawj Stakes (conditions) over 1400 metres here on Jan. 31. She handily defeated the re-opposing Spanish filly Octans (Spa) (The Grey Gatsby {Ire}), with Lhakpa (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) third that day.

“We were very pleased with Mountain Breeze in the Mawj Stakes,” said Appleby of the Lope De Vega filly. “It was always the plan to come here before possibly looking at a Guineas trial in Europe. She has come forward for her seasonal return and looks the one to beat.”

 

Additional Undercard

The G2 Dubai City of Gold features a trio from Godolphin in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf second Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Arabian Crown (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Passion And Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) versus four foes. The first-named was third in a pair of American Grade Is in August and September and has been freshened since.

Oxbow's Tuz towers over his foes in the 1200-metre G3 Mahab Al Shimaal sponsored by emirates.com. He is aiming for his fifth win in a row, and has captured the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, Listed Al Garhoud Sprint, G3 Dubawi Stakes, and G3 Al Shindagha Sprint in succession, the last-named race on Jan. 24.

Turf sprinters test the Meydan straight course in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, with the G2 Blue Point Sprint one-two of West Acre (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}) set to renew their rivalry.

In the G3 Burj Nahaar sponsored by Emirates Airlines, 2023 G3 Mahab Al Shimaal winner Sound Money (Flatter) faces off against the equal-rated stakes winner Cagliastro (Flatter), who was third in the G3 Firebreak Stakes to King Gold (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}) last month.

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