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Reynaldothewizard faces familiar foes in Dubai
The Dubawi, upgraded to Listed status last year, has attracted a field of nine, including the Dhruba Selvaratnam-trained United Color, who won this 12 months ago when chased home by Irish challenger Russian Soul, who is again in opposition. Selvaratnam's charge has not won since but did produce a career best when third in the Golden Shaheen on last year's Dubai World Cup card when Russian Soul was seventh. He has had one run this season, when well beaten behind Muarrab in the same conditions race at Jebel Ali he had finished second in each of the previous two seasons. "He did not really fire on his return this season," Selvaratnam said. "We had hoped for a better run but he seems in good form at home. Obviously it is a new surface but he handles the Jebel Ali dirt well so hopefully he will cope with the Meydan one. Basically, I would be hopeful rather than confident of him successfully defending his crown." Stable jockey Oisin Murphy rides. After his second in this 12 months ago, the Michael Halford-trained Russian Soul landed the Al Shindagha Sprint, also over 1200 meters, when United Color was a disappointing 10th. The mount of Shane Foley, he has not won since. The Satish Seemar-trained Reynaldothewizard won the equivalent race in 2013 before going on to win the Dubai Golden Shaheen and was fourth, just behind United Color, in that same race last year. When winning on this card two years ago he did have the benefit of a previous run, whereas he was making his seasonal debut when only seventh last year behind United Color and Russian Soul. He is having his first run of the current campaign, but can run well fresh, having triumphed first time out in both 2010 and 2011. He is joined in the field by stable companion Conveyance, who will be having his second start of the season but only third outing since March 2011. Stable jockey, Richard Mullen, has elected to ride Reynaldothewizard with Silvestre de Sousa a notable booking for Conveyance. "Reynaldothewizard is fit, well and ready for a run," said assistant trainer Bhupat Seemar. "He tends to improve from his first run but we are looking forward to getting him back on the track. "Conveyance ran really well on his comeback and also his one start last season. It is just great that we are actually able to get him out twice in the same season. He is very useful but has been far from easy to train." Touch Gold, now trained by Salem Al Ketbi, finished last season with three consecutive victories but steps up markedly in class here. British challenger Caspian Prince showed a lot of speed on turf last week, while Salem bin Ghadayer's first runners last week performed well on the whole. He saddles Almargo, beaten less than seven lengths in a 1400-meter turf handicap seven days ago. The Musabah Al Muhairi-trained Muarrab had been off the course exactly a year before making a winning return in the same 1200-meter Jebel Ali conditions contest he had won 12 months earlier. If handling this different surface, he looks a major threat under Paul Hanagan, riding for his main employer Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor looks to hold strong hands in both the Classic trials. He saddles Maftool in the 1400-meter U.A.E. Two Thousand Guineas Trial. Winner of the Somerville Tattersalls Stakes last year, he was then beaten six lengths in the Dewhurst Stakes. The mount of James Doyle, he does have a penalty. "He has been going very well," bin Suroor said. "Hopefully he runs well here on his way to the U.A.E. Two Thousand Guineas.” The trainer has both Local Time, the choice of Doyle, and Good Place in the U.A.E. One Thousand Guineas Trial. Doyle's mount is penalized for her victory in the Oh So Sharp Stakes when last seen.
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