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Defending Dubai World Cup Carnival leading trainer Charlie Appleby looks to pick up where he has left off the past few seasons, entering Thursday's first evening of the global showcase with an absolute assault of the major races involved.
In four of the evening's seven fixtures--a card that includes three Group 2s, one Group 3 and two Listed stakes--Appleby starts the likely market favourite or second choice.
Chief among his chances is Zakouski (to be ridden by William Buick), who returns to the Meydan turf course over which he has appeared his optimal in the G2 Singspiel. Stretching out to nine furlongs for the first time, last year's G2 Zabeel Mile winner proved himself over a stiff mile last out when winning Newmarket's Ben Marshall Stakes (Listed) over heavy ground. Also a mile handicap winner at Meydan last season, the winner of four of six races has been gingerly campaigned, likely with a return to Dubai in mind.
"Zakouski is in great form, Appleby said. "His two runs at Newmarket at the back end will certainly put him spot on for Thursday evening. His homework has been good and he's going to be a player."
Appleby also starts 2019 Zabeel Mile winner Mythical Magic (Richard Mullen) and 2019 Meydan Trophy victor Art du Val (James Doyle). The former has not finished worse than second at Meydan in four starts, but was bested by Zakouski in his Zabeel Mile defence last year, while the latter has always threatened to be a proper Group horse. All paths must go through Saeed bin Suroor, who has won the past three editions of this race and starts G1 2000 Guineas fourth Military March and G1-winning Dream Castle, winner of this in 2019.
David O'Meara-trained globetrotter Lord Glitters will also garner significant support in his first venture back to Meydan since finishing a bang-up third to Almond Eye and Vivlos in the 2019 G1 Dubai Turf--14 lengths ahead of Dream Castle. Well-regarded Guineas sixth Kinross, G1 winner For the Top, Royal Ascot winner Bless Him and proven course winners Eqtiraan and Oasis Charm add depth to the event.
Two races later, Appleby saddles the first three market choices in the G2 Al Fahidi Fort, a race he and Doyle have won the past three years together and he and Buick landed in 2015 and 2016. He brings back his last two winners, Glorious Journey (Buick) and D'bai (Doyle), as well as upstart Velorum (Mickael Barzalona), a smart handicap winner last season. The race also drew the progressive Ken Condon pupil Could Be King, Uruguayan speedster Almoradi and Bin Suroor-trained Final Song, a proven course performer who chased Glorious Journey home in Newbury's Dubai Duty Free Cup Stakes (Listed) in September.
"D'bai and Glorious Journey, two of the old timers, have both been in great order and we know they both run well fresh, so they're going to be big players," Appleby said. "Velorum, the youngest of the team, had his one start at Meydan last year and did it nicely, so it's time for him to step up and test him at this level. We're pleased with what we've seen with him, but I do think stepping up to a mile is going to be his optimum trip going on down the line."
Appleby also starts the favourites Walton Street (Buick) and Ispolini (Doyle) in the Dubai Racing Club Classic (Listed) over 12 grassy furlongs, as well as co-favourite Lazuli (Buick) in the nightcapped Dubai Dash (Listed) over five furlongs down the turf chute. Lazuli must defeat budding rival and defending champ Equilateral, among others.
Uruguay's Ajuste Fiscal Invades With DWC Dreams
Uruguayan star Ajuste Fiscal tops a seemingly strong contingent brought by DWC Carnival-winning conditioner Antonio Cintra when he starts in Thursday's Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 over one mile.
Owned by Stud La Pomme, the apple of the Cintra operation enters off a Listed victory over this distance on grass in September, but is proven at the G1 level in the past on dirt, including resounding victories in the Gran Premio Pedro Ramirez over 12 furlongs, Gran Premio Jockey Club over 10 furlongs and Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos over one mile. It would, of course, not be a surprise to see a Uruguayan horse succeed in Dubai, thanks to the exploits of the great Invasor.
"It's a pleasure to be a part of this event again and I'm really happy to be back here," said Cintra, who won the 2006 Al Shindagha Sprint with Heart Alone. "Ajuste Fiscal is the best horse that I brought. He's a very good horse on dirt and the distance is a little bit short for him, but it's a good (place) to start. The plan is the second and third rounds of the Maktoum (Challenge). He is the top horse, but he will get very tough races--but I believe he can get an invitation for the World Cup."
Cintra will be busy on opening night of the Carnival, also saddling Stud Crespi's 14-time winner Almoradi, a G1-placed multiple G3 winner, in the Al Fahidi Fort (G2) over seven furlongs on turf, as well as Stud Guara del Sur's exciting 4-for-4 sprinter Upper Class in the Dubawi (G3). A Listed winner, the latter must step up considerably, but has done little wrong thus far and appears a strong finisher who will enjoy a step back up to six furlongs.
Cintra: "(Almoradi) is a good horse on dirt and turf and we planned to run him on dirt, but he wasn't looking good on this kind of dirt. It was a little soft for him, so we're trying to turf. Upper Class is unbeaten and is a very good sprinter. He's three years old and gets two kilos. Hopefully he'll run very well. He runs just on dirt, but the pedigree is a turf horse. We'll start on dirt with him."
Bless Him Wheels Back For G2 Singspiel
Trainer David Simcock has often proven more than capable in top races when the market isn't paying attention, so it should come as no surprise that his runner in Thursday's G2 Singspiel, Tony Perkins and Partners' Bless Him , is catching the wise-guy's eye. A Royal Ascot winner in 2017 who enters off short rest, the son of Sea the Stars defeated lesser rivals at Newcastle on Jan. 12 over one all-weather mile.
"He's a talented horse," Simcock said. "He's a 7-year-old now and the plan was to bring him out here and basically we used last Tuesday as a prep run. We felt he needed it and the race fell very well for him and he won nicely. We'll keep him busy over here with three- or four-race plan that starts on Thursday."
Last season, Simcock brought 8/1 shot Woven to upset well-fancied Godolphin runner Yattwee, subsequent Royal Ascot winner Chiefofchiefs and G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint victor Wildman Jack in a seven-furlong handicap. He also supplied 8/1 Universal Order to win the Dubai Racing Club Classic on opening night.
Bless Him, a five-time winner from 22 starts, is currently 22/1 to best the likes of Zakouski, Military March and Lord Glitters, but a return to the form that saw him best Lord North in the Sept. 2019 Bracknell Handicap (Listed) puts him in the mix.
"We generally feel he always needs that first run," Simcock continued. "Of course, there's a risk running him back nine days later, but everything seems to be (good). His appetite's good and he's taken to the track very well. We'll see how he goes Thursday. We have a little bit to find with the weights, but he's a talented horse.
"The stakes program here for nine (furlongs) and a mile is valuable, which we didn't have last year (with him) and he'll be trying to pick up as much money as possible. With his style of racing, he needs a scenario and hopefully in one of those races it'll fit him. Andrea Atzeni rides him on Thursday. He'll use the same tactics. He needs to be held up and needs a bit of pace and hopefully he gets that. If he gets that, hopefully he'll run very well."
Gladiator King Leads RRR Racing's Big Weekend
Godolphin will not be the only royal outfit with a possibly huge weekend ahead in Dubai. HH Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi's RRR Racing, in its recognisable orange and black colours, will take centre stage in multiple affairs, topped by defending champ Gladiator King in the G3 Dubawi over six furlongs on Thursday night.
Trained by Satish Seemar, the grand-looking son of Curlin won the Dubawi in local bow last year after being privately purchased from the USA. He went on to win the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint before a solid third in the $1.5 million Saudia Sprint. Unraced since, he returns to action and has been impressing in preparation.
"He's doing very well," said Bhupat Seemar, assistant trainer. "He's healthy and fit and we gave him a gallop (breeze) at Meydan last week. He seems as good as he was last year, but you worry running the first time out against horses who have a run. We started him last year and were running against horses in a similar fitness position, but this year we started later, as you should with a horse of this caliber and bigger races down the line. We're not afraid of anyone and we think he'll run well."
The same connections also start multiple G3 winner Switzerland in the race. A former Steve Asmussen and Doug Watson trainee, he has been breezing forwardly back home. Multiple G2 winner Quip, also based with Seemar, joins Watson-trained RRR Racing banner-mate Kimbear in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1--a race Kimbear won in 2020.
"Quip and Switzerland are both working extremely well," Seemar continued. "I'm not sure why they haven't won more races, with how they're training, but hopefully they show in the races on Thursday what they have been showing us in their training. They'll both be very tough."
RRR Racing will also start Salem bin Ghadayer-conditioned G1 winner For the Top, third when last seen in the $1 million Neom Turf Cup on Saudi Cup's undercard in February, in the G2 Singspiel. The Brazilian-bred son of Equal Stripes will be a major pace factor and looks to improve upon his second in the same affair last year. On Friday, Jebel Ali's biggest day of the season, the operation's Rayig appears well-handicapped in the 1600m fifth race for Watson.
Secret Ambition Opts For, Tops G3 Jebel Ali Mile
Nasir Askar's Secret Ambition is arguably the most likeable horse in training in Dubai, always trying his best and laying his heart on the line when asked. Trained by Satish Seemar, the Exceed and Excel 8-year-old has finished in the top two in 19 of his 38 starts, including finishing in the first three in his last five starts.
With a pair of Group-level mile races this weekend, the half-brother to G1 winner Royal Marine had options for his second race of the season, following a solid runner-up effort in last month's Dubai Creek Mile (Listed). Connections chose the Jebel Ali Mile (G3), worth approximately $155,000 and over a stiffer uphill course, in lieu of the $228,000 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 (G2)--a race he lost by a nose in 2020. Tadhg O'Shea will ride in a return to the race he won in 2019.
"He's won it before and he's got plenty of opportunities to come and run at Meydan again after this," said Bhupat Seemar, assistant trainer. "Nasir already has one in the Maktoum Challenge (Military Law) and as a yard, we had three other ones in there (Emblem Storm, Quip and Roman Rosso), so we thought it was a good idea to let him get his turn in the Jebel Ali Mile again."
The nine-time winner's major competition comes in the form of Salem bin Ghadayer-trained import Hypothetical--a smart Meydan handicap winner two weeks ago--as well as 107-rated Simon Crisford pupil Court House and the always-dangerous Doug Watson, who starts course winner Gabr, well-intended Canvassed and tough-as-nails campaigner Grand Argentier.
The stiff quarter-mile uphill finish of Jebel Ali may work as a proper steppingstone for Secret Ambition, as longer distances might be in order.
"He likes the course, obviously, and hopefully he runs well," Seemar concluded. "We may go to the (9.5-furlong Round 2 and 10-furlong Round 3) Maktoum Challenges after this. The last time we stretched him out wasn't a successful venture, but in the last two years we think he's really running at the end and might be able to get the distance. He's a tough horse. He could have run in Round 1 and been very competitive and possibly won, but we wanted to run here."
Guineas, Saudi Derby In Play For Rebel's Romance
One of the most exciting horses in training in the region is Godolphin's undefeated Rebel's Romance, who has exited his thrilling victory last week (over HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Mouheeb) in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial in proper order. The proverbial sky is the limit for the son of Dubawi, with many exciting options ahead the Charlie Appleby trainee.
"Rebel's Romance is in good form," Appleby reported. "He came out of the race well and I'm pleased with what he would have learned. He's got back into a nice rhythm at home and the plan is obviously to keep an eye on the Guineas and then hopefully going on to Saudi, but physically I think we'll see some improvements and he's maturing all at the right time."
The $125,000 UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) over one mile is slated for Feb. 4, while the $1.5 million Saudi Derby is 16 days later over the same distance. Options thereafter include the $150,000 Al Bastakiya (Listed) over the same 9.5 furlongs (March 6) as the $750,000 UAE Derby (G2) on Dubai World Cup's undercard three weeks later.
Mouheeb, per his connections, also remains under consideration for all of the above
Af Alwajel Looms Large In G3 Al Ruwais
A solid second last year, Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda's Af Alwajel appears the one to beat in Sunday's featured affair at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, the G3 Al Ruwais over six furlongs for Purebred Arabians.
An admirable type, the quick-charging son of AF Al Buraq towers over his rivals in rating (115) and enters off a third-place finish on Meydan's dirt course in G1 company. A return to the turf and down in grade should bode well for the Ernst Oertel trainee, especially considering the ample turn-of-foot he displayed two starts back over this turf course in the one-mile G3 National Day Cup.
Others of note in the race include Oman's Hakeemat Muscat, rated 103 and third to AF Alwajel in last year's G2 Liwa Oasis over this course, as well as improving Jawaal and hard-trying 10-year-old RB Torch.