The 2013 Dubai World Cup Carnival gets underway at Meydan Thursday evening
with the first of 11 meetings, culminating in Dubai World Cup night on March 30.
There are seven races, highlighted by the opening rounds of the Group 2 Al
Maktoum Challenge over 1600 meters on the all-weather track.
Ten have been declared for the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 with Godolphin
doubly represented by Saeed bin Suroor saddling Out of Bounds and Mahmood Al
Zarooni relying on Fulbright.
“Out of Bounds was with Godolphin before and was a promising horse in America
who has been off just over a year now, but Fulbright is a new recruit,”
Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said. “We are looking forward to
starting off Fulbright in what looks a competitive race and the Dubai World Cup
Carnival is always a very important part of our year.”
Doug Watson trains Barbecue Eddie, twice a course and distance winner already
this season but stepping up in class.
“He has won well on both occasions and proved he stays 1600 meters well,” the
American-born handler said. “This is obviously a lot tougher but we were ruled
out of the (Group 2) Godolphin Mile late on last year and that is his target
again this year.
“We will find out a lot on Thursday but we have a good draw and I am looking
forward to running him in this class.”
The horse is owned by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum whose retained
jockey, Paul Hanagan has elected to ride Mufarrh for champion trainer Ali Rashid
All Raihe.
“We actually have three in the race but Mufarrh made a very pleasing comeback
when third having been off the track for over a year,” Hanagan explained. “That
was a good run as was his previous one when second in the 2011 Godolphin Mile
and I expect a big run from him.”
International flavor is added by English raider Fanunalter, trained by Marco
Botti, the Pat Shanahan-prepared Colliding Worlds from Ireland, and Bahrain’s
Muraweg, who is conditioned by Fawzi Nass.
The main Thoroughbred support race is the 1800-meter Al Rashidiya Trial and
nine have been declared, including another Godolphin new recruit in the shape of
the Bin Suroor-trained Sharestan.
“Sharestan is also making his first start for us in the Al Rashidiya Trial
and he too has been going well at home,” Crisford said.
Al Raihe’s 2010 Group 1 Dubai Duty Free winner, Al Shemali looks a big
danger, along with Rerouted, trained by South African Mike De Kock, by far the
most successful international trainer in the history of the Carnival. However,
it may be that So Beautiful is a bigger danger for Watson, Hanagan and Sheikh
Hamdan.
“He is a really nice horse having his first start for us and we have been
looking forward to running him as he is an exciting prospect and a great
addition to our yard,” Watson said.
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