Folkswood and Promising Run take Jebel Hatta challenge
Impressive handicap scorer Folkswood and Al Rashidiya heroine Promising Run bid for G1 honours on turf in the nine-furlong Jebel Hatta Sponsored By Emirates Airline (19.30hrs local time) at Meydan, UAE, on Super Saturday, March 4.
Folkswood (William Buick – drawn 12) makes his Pattern debut following two highly promising turf handicap appearances for trainer Charlie Appleby at this year’s Dubai World Cup Carnival, including an easy two-length success over nine furlongs on February 9.
Charlie Appleby said: “Folkswood was an impressive winner on his latest start and this looks to be his ideal trip at the moment.
“We are throwing him at the deep end slightly but he seems to be enjoying himself out in Dubai and has been going well at home.”
Promising Run (Ryan Moore, drawn eight) has also scored over nine furlongs on turf at the 2017 Carnival, having run on gamely to beat Light The Lights by half a length in the G2 Al Rashidiya on January 26.
The Saeed bin Suroor-trained filly subsequently finished third over a mile and a quarter in the turf G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes on February 16.
Saeed bin Suroor commented: “Promising Run ran well last time. She came out of that race in good form and is ready to go again. This is a very tough race but I am hopeful that she can run another good race.”
Folkswood and Promising Run oppose 10 rivals including German G1 victor Elliptique, Irish G3 winner Decorated Knight and Light The Lights.
fonte : Godolphin
Move Up takes another step forward in Maktoum Challenge
Progressive four-year-old colt Move Up races on dirt for the first time on his G1 debut in the Al Maktoum Challenge R3 Sponsored By Emirates Airline (18.55hrs) at Meydan, UAE, on Super Saturday, March 4.
The son of Dubawi is after a hat-trick of Pattern wins for Saeed bin Suroor following two turf victories over a mile and a half, including a game neck verdict over Arab Spring in the G3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot, UK, on October 1.
Adrie De Vries comes in for the ride on Move Up, who takes on seven rivals including last year’s winner Special Fighter and G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2 scorer Furia Cruzada in the 10-furlong contest.
Saeed bin Suroor commented: “This will be Move Up’s first start on dirt but he has been doing well in training.
“He won a G3 race over a mile and a half on his latest start but we wanted to give him a chance over a mile and a quarter on the dirt to see how he gets on.
“He has improved physically and is ready to go.”
Saeed bin Suroor also saddles Alabaster (Oisin Murphy) on the dirt in the 13-runner G3 Burj Nahaar Sponsored By Emirates Holidays (17.45hrs) over a mile.
The five-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro has run well on the surface on his three appearances so far at this year’s Dubai World Cup Carnival, including a neck success in a 10-furlong handicap on February 9 and a third over the same distance in the Listed Curlin Handicap on February 23.
Saeed bin Suroor added: “Alabaster has been trying hard in his races this year, winning once and finishing third last time. This will be another tough task but he is in good form.”
fonte : Godolphin
Meydan, ecco il #SuperSaturday: Sabato 4 Marzo rientra #Postponed! In corsa anche Dylan Mouth con Frankie. Poi..
Siamo quasi giunti al momento clou del Carnival Dubaiano, ed in effetti le grandi manovre in vista della Dubai World Cup del 25 Marzo sono già iniziate. Sabato 4 Marzo è in programma il Super Saturday, il giorno cioè che dista 3 settimane dall’appuntamento clou e servirà ai vari candidati di rifinire la condizione. Su tutti il terzo Round del Maktoum Challenge G1 sui 2000 metri in sabbia dove i cavalli al via sono in 8 tra cui il rientrante Special Fighter (Teofilo) per Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohd Al Maktoum, al rientro dal quarto posto nella Dubai World Cup dello scorso anno vinta da California Chrome. Poi il coreano Triple Nine, la femmina Furia Cruzada(Newfoundland), vincitrice del secondo Round, che avrà ancora a bordo Antonio Fresu. Dall’America ecco Second Summer (Summer Bird), piazzato dietro a Furia nel Challenge, poi il Giapponese Lani (Tapit), vincitore qui del Derby degli Emirati prima dei tentativi ambiziosi in America. Entreremo nel dettaglio nei prossimi giorni, quando sarà più opportuno fare il conto dei partecipanti, ma intanto vi diciamo che in giornata ci saranno 2 italiani come Brex Drago (Mujahid) impegnato nel Burj Nahaar Sponsored by Emirates Holidays G2 sul miglio in sabbia per capire se veramente la sua prima esperienza in sabbia potrà portare qualcosa di importante, mentre nel Dubai City Of Gold Sponsored by Emirates SkyCargo G2 sul miglio e mezzo prova a salire ancora in pattern Dylan Mouth (Dylan Thomas) il quale sinora ha avuto un esperienza a Meydan, a livello di handicap, comunque positiva. Avrà in sella Frankie Dettori ma sulla sua strada, in questa occasione, incontrerà però il campione Postponed (Dubawi) al rientro per rifinire la condizione in vista di una replica nello Sheema Classic G1.
MEYDAN (UAE) saturday meeting march 4th, 2017, GOING DIRT: FAST; TURF: GOOD
fonte : RacingPost
Godolphin Unleash Move Up In Dubai World Cup Dress Rehearsal
March 02, 2017
Special Fighter bids to become the first dual winner of the Al Maktoum Challenge R3
Friday March 3, 2017, Meydan Racecourse, Dubai: The world’s richest day of racing, the Dubai World Cup is just three weeks away and Meydan Racecourse is all set to stage the official dress rehearsal – Super Saturday with a seven race card.
The official feature race on the night is the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 sponsored by Emirates Airline
Over the same 2000m dirt course and distance as the $10million Dubai World Cup, three former World Cup winners Dubai Millennium (2000), Street Cry (2002) and Electrocutionist (2006) built up to their famous wins by wrapping up the Al Maktoum Challenge R3 on Super Saturday in the same season. They all shared the same owner -trainer combination of Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor.
This Super Saturday the champion trainer saddles dirt debutant, Move Up, winner of his two most recent starts in Europe last year, the Group 2 International Bosphorus Cup in Turkey before denying a penalty in the Group 3 Cumberland Stakes at Ascot.
Clearly a progressive prospect, he looks to be a big danger if handling the new surface under Adrie de Vries.
“Obviously he has not run on dirt but he is training very well” said Bin Suroor. “We are keen to try him on the different surface and over 2000m. He has improved physically since last season and is a nice horse.”
Last year’s winner Special Fighter, now trained by Maria Ritchie, bids to become the first dual winner of the race. He has not run since fourth in last year’s Dubai World Cup.
Erwan Charpy saddled Furia Cruzada to make a winning local debut in the 1900m Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R2 under stable jockey, Antonio Fresu.
She will not be inconvenienced by the slight step up in trip having won in Group 1 company over 2200m in Argentina.
“She would have needed that first run so it was a great effort,” said Fresu. “She was probably tiring a bit in the final 100m but she was game and seems in great form at home.”
The five year old bay mare was chased home four weeks ago by another local debutant, the Doug Watson-trained Second Summer who was finishing fast under Pat Dobbs, failing by just a nose.
“We were delighted with that first run when, with a bit more luck in running, he might have won,” said Watson. “He has improved from that outing and we are very hopeful of a big effort.”
No horse has ever won the UAE Derby and the Dubai World Cup, a fact Japan’s Lani will be hoping to remedy having won the final Classic of the UAE season, on the Dubai World Cup card, last March. He makes his seasonal debut and has the assistance of Ryan Moore in the saddle.
In the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal sponsored by Emirates Skywards, the Maria Ritchie trained Muarrab is looking to defend his crown, having won the title 12 months ago before following up in the Group 1 Golden Shaheen over the same 1200m on dirt on World Cup Day.
He has not won since though, finishing second on all three outings this season, most recently in the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint behind Cool Cowboy.
Trained by Watson, Cool Cowboy actually won the 1600m Group 3 Burj Nahaar on this card last year but showed a good turn of foot to grab Muarrab close home last time.
“He is working very well and, from a good draw, should run a big race,” said Watson.
Previously it was a similar story for Muarrab in the Listed Dubawi Stakes, this time denied by the Satish Seemar-trained veteran star – Reynaldothewizard.
The very popular 11 year old was victorious in both this race and the Golden Shaheen in 2013, he also beat Cool Cowboy when victorious in last year’s Dubawi Stakes.
“He is a great old horse and a real favourite in the yard,” said assistant trainer, Bhupat Seemar. “Hopefully he will go very close.”
Caption: Special Fighter bids to become the first dual winner of the Al Maktoum Challenge R3 Image credit: Andrew Watkins
fonte : Dubai Racing Club
Meydan accueille son Super Saturday
A trois semaines de la réunion la plus richement dotée de la planète, le Dubai Racing Club organise sa traditionnelle répétition générale. 7 courses sont programmées lors de la journée du “Super Saturday”, dont cinq épreuves de Groupe. Un cheval français sera au départ, The Right Man, et bien sûr, plusieurs jockeys tricolores.
La réunion de Meydan a attiré un plateau de choix ce samedi, et les rentrées de Postponed et Laniseront particulièrement attendues en vue du 25 mars.
Lani prépare la World Cup
Au départ de la troisième étape du Al Maktoum Challenge (R3C6, Groupe 1), le japonais Lani effectuera son retour à Meydan où il a remporté l’an passe le Derby des Emirats (Gr1). Le gris était ensuite parti tenter sa chance dans la Triple Couronne américaine, prenant notamment une troisième place dans les Belmont Stakes. Après un hiver en demi teinte au pays du soleil levant, Lani aura comme objectif de décrocher son billet pour la Dubaî World Cup. Pour l’occasion, le spécialiste du dirt sera associé au crack jockey anglais Ryan Moore.
Lani devra se méfier du représentant Godolphin, Move Up, qui a remporté trois de ses quatre courses l’an dernier mais qui effectue une rentrée depuis octobre, et la jument d’origine chilienne Furia Cruzada, qui s’est imposée dans la deuxième round du Al Maktoum Challenge en février, pour l’entraînement d’Erwan Charpy.
La ligne de Zarak dans le Jebel Hatta
Le lot est moins relevé dans le deuxième Groupe 1 de cette réunion, le Jebel Hatta (R3C7) sur le gazon. Cette épreuve pourrait représenter une opportunité pour un autre élève Godolphin, Promising Run, de gagner un premier Groupe 1, lui qui a reporté un Groupe 2 à Meydan fin janvier et qui reste sur une troisième place derrière Zarak. Très régulier, l’anglais Decorated Hero sera à suivre, et l’ancien français Elliptique participe à sa deuxième course aux Emirats pour son nouvel entraîneur Satish Seemar.
Postponed défend son titre
Lauréat du Dubai City of Gold en 2016 avant son sacre dans le Dubai Sheema Classic et ensuite dans les Coronation Cup et Juddmonte International Stakes, Postponed tente de doubler la mise dans ce Groupe 2 sur 2400 mètres (R3C3). Le pensionnaire de Roger Varian n’a pas été revu depuis sa décevante cinquième place dans le Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe mais selon son entraîneur, tous les feux sont au vert.
Un français au sprint
Si Finsbury Square est en attente, depuis se victoire jeudi à Chantilly, d’une invitation à participer à l’Al Quoz Sprint le 25 mars prochain, The Right Man (Francois-Xavier Bertras) pourrait décrocher son billet pour la même course avec une belle performance dans le Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (R3C5). Lauréat de Listed et de Groupe 3 en automne dernier à Maisons-Laffitte, le représentant de Didier Guillemin est proposé aux alentours de 6/1 par les bookmakers anglais dans ce sprint. Les deux chevaux les plus en vue sont encore des « Godolphin », Jungle Cat et Baccarat.
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Japan’s Lani is the most recognisable name on the list but the 3rd place-getter in last year’s Belmont Stakes won’t necessarily be favourite. Furia Crizada and Second Summer were 1st and 2nd in the second leg of the challenge last month (with Power Blade 3rd). Triple Nine closed very strongly in his first Meydan outing but was a little one-paced and failed to change leads running on for 4th in his second. He is surely better than the 33/1 being offered by most operators.