Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) runner-up HENNY HUGHES (Hennessy) will not make
his sophomore debut in Thursday’s Shadwell Farm Trophy S. at Nad al Sheba. The
Darley-owned colt was among the preliminary entries to the about seven-furlong
dirt event on the opening day of the Dubai Carnival, but he was pulled from
Tuesday’s final declarations.
Godolphin has a pair of Saeed bin Suroor-trained colts in the main body of
the 19-horse field (three also-eligibles), TESTIMONY (Yes It’s True) and
EMIRATES GOLD (Royal Applause [GB]). The former was a sharp 7 1/2-length
maiden winner at Belmont Park before recording an unplaced finish in his final
juvenile appearance, the Iroquois S. (G3) at Churchill Downs. The latter is
English stakes-placed.
Thursday’s feature is Round 1 of the Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Challenge (UAE-G3), which will be contested at about one mile on the main track
for a purse of $200,000. Ten are set for the event, but multiple Group 1 winner
and defending champion GRAND EMPORIUM (SAf) (National Assembly), who was
pre-entered by Sheikh Rashid, was withdrawn from the final field. LUNDY’S
LIABILITY (Brz) (Candy Stripes) and PETIT PARIS (Chi) (Hussonet), the one-two
finishers in the 2004 UAE Derby (UAE-G2), will renew their rivalry in the race.