Cristina Patino’s Epsom (Eng-G1) and Irish Oaks (Ire-G1) heroine SNOW FAIRY (Intikhab)
will miss Saturday’s Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) after suffering a setback in
training, trainer Ed Dunlop has revealed. The bay four-year-old, who also bagged
big wins in the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (Jpn-G1) and Hong Kong Cup
(HK-G1) last term,
was found to be lame before exercise Sunday.
“It is a great shame, but the
good thing is that the injury is not considered significant and is not career
threatening,” Dunlop said. “It is disappointing for everyone, especially the
owner, and coming so close to the race, we have no option but to withdraw the
filly.
“She pulled out to exercise this morning and was found to be slightly lame
on her right fore. The vets did extensive tests and found minor bone damage on
the right cannon bone and while not a serious injury, it has obviously come at
the wrong time for her to be able to run in Dubai.
“The vets have told us that it
would be safe to travel, so Snow Fairy will fly home soon and she will then have
two weeks’ box rest before we start all over again. She could well be back for
the Prince of Wales’s S. (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot (in June).”
In other Dubai news, trainer Eoin Harty arrived in the Emirates Saturday to oversee the final
preparations of VICTOR’S CRY (Street Cry [Ire]) for Saturday’s Dubai Duty
Free (UAE-G1). The West Coast-based conditioner, who saddled Well Armed to win
the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) in 2009, marks his first appearance at Meydan, which
hosted its first Dubai World Cup day card in 2010.
“I’m trying to get my mind
around the place — I have no idea where I am or where I need to be,” Harty
said.
Owned by Equilete Stable, the six-year-old Victor’s Cry is scheduled to have his first formal
work over the surface Monday, with jockey Victor Espinoza aboard. Harty confirmed he was pleased with how the dark
bay had handled the trip from California to Dubai. However, his sole issue to
date was that the Virginia-bred appeared to get a little hot on the way up to
the track, because of the long walk from the quarantine barns to the track.
“But
everything is new to him here,” the trainer explained.
Working in advance of
the Dubai World Cup at Meydan, TRANSCEND (Wild Rush) negotiated 1,200
meters (about six furlongs) — with a final quarter-mile in a strong :23 — Sunday
morning at Meydan.
Winner of the February S. (Jpn-G1) and Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-G1), the
five-year-old will make his career debut over a synthetic surface in Saturday’s
2,000-meter feature.