DWC 2015 Trackwork Notes – March 23 – Group 1 US$6m Dubai Sheema Classic presented by Longines – 2410m (Turf)
Designs on Rome (IRE) – Trainer John Moore said: “He arrived safe and sound and he’s eating up well. I was a bit anxious about how he would travel but it seems he has coped with it well. He will be out on the turf track every morning from Tuesday and I’ll be there to see him for myself on Wednesday.”
Dolniya (FR) – Dolniya, trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, came onto the main track at Meydan on Monday morning together with stable companion Cladocera and fellow French-trained Solow. Dolniya did a slow canter for about 600m and then cantered for 1200m.
Antoine Creton, travelling head lad for the yard, said: “Dolniya is in good form and we are very happy with her.”
Flintshire (GB) – Richard Lambert, travelling head lad for the Andre Fabre yard, was watching Flintshire work on the grass track at Meydan on Monday morning. He said: “Flintshire cantered on the grass track over 1400m. He has travelled well and is in good form.”
Harp Star (JPN) – The winner of the 2014 Group 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas (Oka Sho) did an easy canter on the Meydan dirt track on Monday.
The assistant trainer Tsuyoshi Matsuda said: “I asked her to run at the pace of 15 seconds each 200m yesterday, so I put her in an easy canter this morning. I would like to say thank you for all the help from Dubai Racing Club, everything went well so far, and she fits very well.”
Main Sequence (USA) – Main Sequence, the Eclipse Award-winning victor in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita Park in November, has adapted well to his surroundings at Meydan, according to Alice Clapham, longtime assistant to trainer Graham Motion.
“He took to the flight well and has been training well. We’ve been keeping him to the training track,” Clapham said.
“Graham gets in this afternoon and we’ll decide if we will do something more with him. If we do anything (with regard to more serious work) it will be tomorrow. We may bring him over to the main track on Wednesday to gate train.”
One And Only (JPN) – The 2014 Japanese Derby winner cantered easily for a lap on the Meydan dirt track on Monday.
Assistant trainer Shinsuke Hashiguchi said: “We drove him a bit strongly on the home stretch yesterday, so we just stretched his legs this morning.
“He keeps his good condition, as he is at home. Everything went smoothly including the travelling. He has not lost any weight. This will be his first race since last December, but there is no concern about it. He will gallop on Wednesday.”
Sheikhzayedroad (GB) – Runner-up in the Group 2 Dubai City Of Gold sponsored by Emirates Skycargo on March 7, the six-year-old cantered for one circuit on the main dirt track. “He’s fine,” said trainer, David Simcock. “He has become a stable favourite and his last run was good.”
Simcock Strikes Thrice for Elusive Success
British trainer David Simcock has savoured a vintage year since he saddled a pair of horses on Dubai World Cup night 12 months ago.
Those two horses, Trade Storm (GB) and Sheikhzayedroad (GB), subsequently won Grade 1 races on an unforgettable afternoon for Simcock at Woodbine, in Canada, on September 14. It was a maiden triumph for each of them at the highest level.
Simcock endorsed those gains when he saddled Madam Chiang to win the Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on October 18 – and he reaped a further bounty when Caspar Netscher (GB) annexed the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes, also at Woodbine, 24 hours later.
Caspar Netscher now joins Trade Storm and Sheikhzaydroad in Simcock’s three-pronged assault on Saturday. All three horses warmed up for their respective assignments at Meydan on Super Saturday, March 7 – and all three earned a healthy slice of the pie.
Caspar Netscher only gave best in the final strides of the Group 3 Meydan Sprint sponsored by Arabian Adventures over the same 1000m journey he will tackle on Saturday in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint empowered by IPIC. It was the six-year-old’s first run for more than four months.
“I was delighted with that,” Simcock said. “It is the first time we’d had a clear run with the horse since May last year. He had a pelvic problem which made the whole season particularly difficult. Everything was a rush, but he is now much better physically.”
Sheikhzayedroad, for his part, made Sky Hunter work hard to land the Group 2 Dubai City Of Gold sponsored by Emirates Skycargo, when he gave best in the last 200 of the 2400m journey. He, too, had not run since October.
“We didn’t really know where we were with him before that race,” Simcock reflected of the six-year-old.
“He is a hold-up horse who had to make an early move around the turn because there wasn’t much pace in the race. Mind you, it doesn’t look as though there will be much pace in Saturday’s race either.”
Last but not least is seven-year-old Trade Storm, who will be making his third consecutive start in the Dubai Turf sponsored by DP World. This is an ultra-competitive renewal of the 1800m Group 1 test but Trade Storm’s late-closing style should serve him well.
Simcock has yet to saddle a winner on World Cup night and Caspar Netscher appears his brightest prospect. The six-year-old is certainly entitled to headline billing among eight European runners – although Simcock has a healthy respect for the Hong Kong raiders.
“We are really pleased with the way all three horses are coming into their races,” he said. “Trade Storm and Sheikhzayedroad are both straightforward horses to deal with. All three are mature horses who you can’t help but become attached to.”
Connections of Simcock’s three runners doubtless feel the same about their trainer, whose results continue to improve with time’s passage.
Nothing would animate Simcock more than to pick up where he left off in 2014, when he posted a series of personal bests. A maiden winner on Dubai World Cup night would be the best yet.
Regular Dubai visitor David Simcock has brought a strong team of three this year
DWC 2015 Trackwork Notes – March 23 – Group I US$6m Dubai Turf sponsored by DP World – 1800m (Turf)
Cladocera (GER) – Cladocera is trained by Alain de Royer Dupre at Chantilly in France and on Monday morning came onto the main track at Meydan, together with Dolniya and the Freddy Head trained Solow.
Travelling head lad Antoine Creton said: “All our horses are well and will continue with a routine gallop, like this morning, over 1200 or 1400m.”
Euro Charline (GB) – The Marco Botti-trained filly arrived in Dubai on Sunday and is due to clear quarantine on Tuesday.
Farraaj (IRE) – Oisin Murphy is looking forward to riding the local debutant. “He is a nice new horse in the yard,” said Murphy.
“He has good form in Europe and Australia so deserves a chance in this company. It is a strong race but I am looking forward to riding him in a race.”
Limario (GER) – Trainer Doug Watson said: “He was perhaps a little bit disappointing last time when well beaten on Super Saturday.
“We expected better and are hoping for more on Saturday in a very strong race.
Mshawish (USA) – The Todd Pletcher-trained entire took to the Meydan dirt track shortly before 7 a.m. for an easy gallop one and a half times around the 1800m oval under exercise rider Nick Bush.
Ginny De Pasquale, who will be supervising the son of Medaglia d’Oro, was pleased, remarking: “He was very relaxed. Unbelievably relaxed. He seems to be enjoying himself.”
Monday marked the horse’s third trip to the track since arriving in Dubai last week.
De Pasquale said that Mshawish, who comes into the Dubai Turf off three straight wins at Gulfstream Park in Florida, will school in the Meydan paddock Monday night.
“He’s usually pretty good but we’ll let him look around tonight so he’s focuses on the job on the big night. I’m going to walk over to the paddock myself before we bring him over so I can re-familiarise myself with it,” she said.
Solow (GB) – The Freddy Head-trained grey Solow was leading fellow French trained Dolniya and Cladocera onto the main track at Meydan on Monday morning.
He cantered over 1400m and Regis Babedette, travelling head lad of Freddy Head, confirmed: “I’m very happy with him. He is in really good form and has adapted well to his surroundings. Freddy Head will be here tomorrow but as I said, everything is very well.”
The Grey Gatsby (IRE) – This top-class turf runner, trained in Britain by Kevin Ryan, arrived in Dubai on Sunday and will be eligible to exercise on the main track when he clears quarantine on Tuesday.
Trade Storm (GB) – The globe-trotting seven-year-old, runner-up in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta sponsored by Emirates Airline on March 7, completed two laps of the main dirt track at a steady canter. He is due to stretch out with greater purpose on Tuesday morning.
Umgiyo (AUS) – “He won well on his first start and we have stepped up in trip and class in two subsequent outings,” said trainer Mike De Kock. “He has improved with each run and is very fit now. Hunter’s Light is out of the race. He would have been a major player and we were not that far behind him the last twice.
“Johnny Geroudis will ride and we are hoping they go a good gallop, which should help us.”
fonte Dubai Racing Club
Godolphin Mount Strong Challenge For Dubai World Cup
© Neville Hopwood
Godolphin has a strong team for Dubai World Cup night at Meydan on Saturday, March 28.
African Story won the world’s richest race, the US$10-million Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline, last year when it was run on Tapeta.
Meydan switched to a dirt track in 2014 and African Story, along with Godolphin’s other Dubai World Cup contender,Prince Bishop, has now had experience of the new surface.
US$10-million Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline, 1m 2f dirt, Group One
African Story, 8, Saeed bin Suroor, James Doyle
Prince Bishop, 8, Saeed bin Suroor, William Buick
Saeed bin Suroor said: “Both African Story and Prince Bishopworked on Saturday and are happy and in good condition.
“It will be very tough racing against California Chrome from America, though our horses have been doing very well.
“They have been getting used to the dirt this year but they don’t like the kickback and need to be prominent in the race.
“Prince Bishop has to start better – he came from last to second in the final round of the Al Maktoum Challenge. African Story was victorious last year’s Dubai World Cup and is now back in peak form.”
US$6-million Dubai Sheema Classic Presented By Longines, 1m 4f turf, Group One
True Story, 4, Saeed bin Suroor, James Doyle
Saeed bin Suroor said: “True Story won well first time out in Dubai this year but a mile and a half is a better trip for him. He needs to be more relaxed in his races and we have been working on this. Unfortunately, Sky Hunter is not able to run.”
US$1-million Al Quoz Sprint Empowered By IPIC, 5f turf, Group One
Ahtoug, 7, Charlie Appleby, William Buick
Charlie Appleby said: “Ahtoug is ultra-consistent and looks in great nick. His most recent run was the best of the year so far and we were delighted the performance. William (Buick) rode him that day and saw what the horse is capable of. Ahtoug just got beaten in this race last year and retains his speed.”
US$2-million UAE Derby Sponsored By The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group, 1m 1f 110y dirt, Group Two
Sir Fever, 3, Charlie Appleby, William Buick
Maftool, 3, Saeed bin Suroor, Paul Hanagan
Charlie Appleby said: “I was pleased with Sir Fever‘s first run for us and he has come out of the race well. It was good that William (Buick) got to know him during the race. Sir Fever is a big, lengthy galloper and we are applying headgear (blinkers & shadow roll) to help his concentration and keep him focused.”
Saeed bin Suroor said: “Maftool is doing good and I am happy with the progress he is making. The longer trip will suit him. The jockey (Paul Hanagan) has been riding him in the mornings. It is a hard race but he has a chance.”
US$1-million UAE Gold Cup Sponsored By Al Tayer Motors, 2m
Ahzeemah, 6, Saeed bin Suroor, James Doyle
Marzocco, 4, John Gosden, William Buick
Saeed bin Suroor said: “Ahzeemah worked on Sunday but was very disappointing last time. We are expecting a much better performance in the Gold Cup and hope he can show his best form.”
John Gosden said: “We feel that the track and ground at Meydan should suit Marzocco and the trip is within his compass.”
US$1-million Godolphin Mile Sponsored By Meydan Sobha, 1m, Group Two, dirt,
Free Wheeling, 6, Saeed bin Suroor, James Doyle
Saeed bin Suroor said: “Free Wheeling ran well last time and we will see how he handles the dirt as he is returning to the surface. I am happy with him and he worked well on Sunday. It is a tough race and he will need to be at his best.”
Hunter’s Light To Retire
© Feroz Khan
Hunter’s Light will not run in the nine furlong G1 Dubai Turf on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan on Saturday, 28 March and has been retired to stud.
The seven-year-old, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, has won on all three starts in Dubai this winter culminating in a six and a half length win in the Group One Jebel Hatta on 7 March.
However he sustained a tendon injury in what was ultimately his final appearance, which has not responded to treatment.
Plans for his future career will be announced in the near future.
