The Dubai World Cup Carnival rolls its caravans back into Meydan Racecourse Feb. 18 with a program featuring the undefeated Munnings   filly Shahama  against a short field in the UAE Oaks Presented by Jafza (G3).

The card also includes a pair of turf races—one short and one long—that might provide advancement opportunity toward Dubai’s biggest evening—March 26.

Shahama, bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock out of the Belong to Me  mare Private Feeling , made her first start Dec. 9 at the sprawling Meydan showplace and immediately exhibited star quality, winning by nine lengths.

Trainer Fawzi Nass, who purchased the half sister to Lookin At Lucky   for $425,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, put her back to work on New Year’s Day in a prep for the UAE One Thousand Guineas where a sloppy track and a bit of traffic limited her winning margin to 2 1/2 lengths.

She moved on from that effort to score an easy win in the UAE One Thousand Guineas Presented by Dubai Marina by Emaar by Emaa on Jan. 28.

Without much competition from the other fillies in Dubai, Shahama could be tasked beyond that division if she runs well in the Oaks.

“That was pretty straightforward,” jockey Adrie de Vries said after the Guineas score. “She took me there easily and then quickened nicely. She is a smart filly and I guess will be aimed at the UAE Oaks now and hopefully then the Derby.”

That would be the UAE Derby (G2) on Dubai World Cup night, a major stop on the main Churchill Downs ”Road to the Kentucky Derby” series that awards 100 qualifying points to the winner.

The six-filly competition in the Oaks is topped by Minwah, a Cupid   filly out of the Belong to Me mare My Curlina  who finished second behind Shahama in both the December debut and the One Thousand Guineas and fifth in the Guineas prep race.

Shadzadi, an El Kabeir  filly, won her previous start in gate-to-wire fashion and Shahama could be chasing her into the stretch in Friday’s Oaks.

The fields for the turf features aren’t rife with recognizable names but could turn up some contenders for World Cup night.

The Blue Point Sprint Presented by Jebel Ali Port (G2), contested at five furlongs down the Meydan straight, has nine takers. Lazuli , one of only a relative handful of Godolphin contestants on the program, exits a second behind stablemate Man of Promise  in the listed Dubai Sprint Presented by Dubai Creek Harbour by Emaar Jan. 28 at six furlongs. The 5-year-old Dubawi  gelding finished his 2021 season at Saratoga Race Course, reporting seventh in the Troy Stakes Presented by Horse Racing Ireland (G3T).

The Blue Point field also includes Acklam Express , a 4-year-old Mehmas  gelding who finished third in the 2021 Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1), won by Extravagant Kid .

The Nad Al Sheba Trophy Presented by DP World UAE (G3) is run at 2,810 meters (about 1 3/4 miles) and could open the door to the Dubai Gold Cup (G2) at 3,200 meters (about 2 miles) on World Cup night.

One to watch in the big field is Manobo , a 4-year-old Sea The Stars  gelding trained for Godolphin by Charlie Appleby. Unraced at 2, he won all four starts in 2021, climbing the class ladder to a score in the Qatar Prix Chaudenay (G2) at Longchamp Oct. 2.

fonte : Bloodhorse.com