His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum’s ALBERTUS MAXIMUS (Albert
the Great), the likely Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) favorite, strode on to the track Wednesday morning
with all
his muscles rippling.
After standing serenely to gaze over the grounds, he jogged to the finish line
under
exercise rider Rob Massey and then turned and exploded into a gallop that drew
exclamations.
“Is that Albertus Maximus? Wow!” declared trainer Doug O’Neill, who
was
watching from the backstretch rail.
As Massey sat quietly in the saddle, Albertus Maximus reached out with his
forelegs,
swallowing the ground as he clearly wanted to go faster.
“He was a little keen,” observed trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who was at Nad al
Sheba for
the first time this week and was accompanied by Rick Nichols, vice president and
general
manager of Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Farm in Kentucky. “But we like to see him
aggressive. He’s training great. He’s a real professional racehorse; he does
everything right.”
While McLaughlin paid respect to other Dubai World Cup contenders, including
fellow U.S.-based contender WELL ARMED (Tiznow) and locally-based ASIATIC BOY
(Not For Sale [Arg]), he said he feels confident
that
Albertus Maximus has a good chance to bring home a second Dubai World Cup trophy
for Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell team, following the 2007 win by Invasor (Arg).
“There are five or six horses in here who could win, but I think they have
him to beat,”
McLaughlin said. “We like our chances. We wouldn’t trade places with anybody
right now.”
Albertus Maximus galloped about 2,400 meters for the third
consecutive day.
McLaughlin plans only gallops for the five-year-old,
following
the same Dubai training pattern he used successfully with Invasor.
Two days after his half-mile workout, Jay Em Ess Stable’s ARSON SQUAD
(Brahms) returned
to Nad
al Sheba for an easy jog around the track on Wednesday.
“He felt good. He’s very happy,” said assistant trainer Michelle Nevin, who
was aboard the six-year-old gelding.
Japanese horse and last year’s Peter Pan S. (G2) hero CASINO DRIVE
(Mineshaft) worked on the
dirt in advance of the World Cup, and
was driven out to come home over the last 200 meters in 11.8 seconds.
“Our horse is an experienced
traveler, so
he’s not had any problems with this trip at all,” regular exercise rider Naruhito Kasai said.
“Since he arrived he has been in
good
shape, and eaten up very well. I think we have had a good preparation going into
this
race.
“There is no ‘Curlin’ type of horse in this year’s field, so if he does not have
any problem
with his hoof like last year when he had to scratch from the Belmont S. (G1), we
have a big chance,” Kasai continued. “We will give him a light canter tomorrow
morning on the main track.”
ANAK NAKAL (Victory Gallop) got acquainted with the saddling enclosure on Wednesday morning.
With
exercise rider Eddie Cruz in the saddle and assistant trainer Tim Poole holding
the lead
shank, Anak Nakal spent about five minutes walking in the paddock as he
continues his
preparations for the World Cup.
With his neck bowed and a placid demeanour, Anak Nakal went about his business
in a
professional manner.
Following the schooling session, the four-year-old galloped once around the main
dirt track.
As he neared completion of his gallop, Anak Nakal spied a bird and in reaction,
swapped
leads. Poole, with camera in hand, caught the moment.
“We will school him at the gate on Thursday, and then we are good to go,” Poole
said.
Well Armed had a relatively relaxing day Wednesday as he simply jogged once
around
the main dirt track with a lead pony by his side. Trainer Eoin Harty said Well
Armed,
third in last year’s Dubai World Cup, would gallop on Thursday.
“All is good,” Harty said.