Joseph O’Brien sizes up Coolmore’s team in Dubai

Giovanni Boldini might not stay any further than the UAE Derby trip, according to Joseph O’Brien (©Neville Hopwood/Dubai Racing Club) Epsom Derby winner Ruler of the World, who will run for the first time for the new Irish-Qatari partnership of Coolmore and Al Shaqab Racing on Saturday, and his big-race jockey Joseph O’Brien on Friday led out the six-strong Ballydole team of trainer Aidan O’Brien in public for the first time since they entered quarantine on Tuesday evening. Ruler of the World continued to head the pack as they walked the reverse way of a circuit on the outside of the all-weather track, before turning to complete a further lap in the direction of racing at a very steady canter. “Ruler of the World is in good form,” the younger O’Brien said. “He traveled very well and he just had a gentle hack around the track this morning, just to stretch his legs. He’s a very laid back horse with a good attitude, and take things in his stride. “This time last year, it’s hard to believe, but he had yet to see a racetrack. He’s wintered well. His (half) brother Duke of Marmalade improved from three to four, and I think he can do the same. His draw is not ideal, but it is what it is. It’s impossible to know in advance whether they’ll handle the surface, but I’m hopeful that he will.”

Giovanni Boldini and Sir John Hawkins, Coolmore’s hopes for Saturday’s Group
2 U.A.E. Derby, joined their four older stablemates for a first sight of Meydan.

Giovanni Boldini, who will be ridden by Ryan Moore on Saturday, finished the second-lap steady canter alongside Festive Cheer
(Group 1 Sheema Classic) under
David McCabe, while Sir John Hawkins was partnered by his big-race rider Colm
O’Donoghue in a single-file foursome headed by Ruler of the World.

“Ryan (Moore) rides Giovanni Boldini,” said the jockey O’Brien, who
can’t make the 121-pound weight assignment on the sophomore. “He’s drawn well and done well from two to three. He has a lot of speed, and this
trip may be as far as he wants to go, but he seems very well.”

The Ballydoyle
stablemates Magician and Festive Cheer, who will be attempting to emulate last year’s winner St Nicholas
Abbey for the same team, joined the string.

Festive Cheer, who will be ridden by Seamie Heffernan on
Saturday, was partnered by work rider Sumit, while Magician, Joseph O’Brien’s
big-race mount, was ridden by Craig Bryson as they followed the exercise example
of Ruler of the World.

“Magician is in good form, he’s
an uncomplicated horse and will like the fast ground,” the younger O’Brien said.
“He won the Breeders’ Cup
(Turf) from off the pace, and that’s probably the way to ride him. I think Festive
Cheer has generally been overlooked, and I think he has a massive each way
chance.”

Stable representative Pat Keating summed up the well-being
of the squad by saying: “They traveled great and all look well.”

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