Thursday’s meeting of the 2013 Dubai World Cup Carnival is highlighted by the
Group 2 Al Rashidiya, an 1800-meter turf contest for which 10 have been declared
and, on paper at least, looks by far the best race of the season to date.
Three weeks ago, at the opening meeting, the Saeed bin Suroor-trained
Sharestan was the impressive winner of the trial over the same course and
distance and, with Silvestre de Sousa again in the saddle, he looks certain to
be a popular Pick Six selection. Bin Suroor also has Do It All and Aesop’s
Fables among the declarations and is seeking a fifth win in the race first
contested in 2000.
“They are three nice horses,” the Godolphin trainer said. “Sharestan
obviously has the advantage of that run when he really pleased us and he has
been in great form since. His last piece of work was very good and we hope he is
improving.
“This will be a first start for us with Aesop’s Fables and we like him a lot.
His work has been good and we are looking forward to getting him on the track,
while Do It All will probably need this run.”
Fellow Godolphin handler, Mahmoud Al Zarooni, saddles City Style, twice a
Meydan winner last year before excelling in defeat in Group 1 company when
second to Master of Hounds in the Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday and third in the
Dubai Duty Free on Dubai World Cup night.
“Obviously conditions are fine but I just think he is going to need this
first run back having been off since July,” said Al Zarooni, who sounded hopeful
rather than confident.
It is not all about Godolphin though and HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al
Maktoum is responsible for three runners, all trained locally, with his retained
jockey, Paul Hanagan, choosing to ride So Beautiful, runner-up to Sharestan in
the trial and trained by Doug Watson. The American also saddles Albaasil for the
owner.
“The trial did not really pan out for So Beautiful but he ran on well once
clear in the straight. Hopefully we can get a clear passage this time,” Watson
said. “Albaasil has been off over 300 days but is as fit and ready as we can get
him without a race and this has always been his first major target.”
The owner’s second jockey, Dane O’Neill, rides the Ali Rashid Al Raihe-trained
Derbaas, winner of Abu Dhabi’s National Day Cup on his most recent outing.
Like bin Suroor, South African Mike de Kock is also seeking a fifth win in
the race, and he relies on The Apache who will be having his first start for the
yard.
“He is probably better over a bit further and our horses from South Africa
have generally been needing their first run. That said, he is as straight as I
can get him at home so he should give a good account,” the trainer said.
Irish raiders Light Heavy and Fanunalter, trained by Marco Botti, complete
the field.
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