Friday frenzy for two top races hots things up

DUBAI – A pulsating Dubai Racing Carnival meeting at Meydan racecourse on Feb 20 has horses vying for qualification for Dubai World Cup day and the Kentucky Derby – two of the biggest race meetings on the planet.

The card’s official feature is the 850,000 dirham (S$293,000) Group 2 Balanchine Stakes, for fillies and mares over 1,800m on turf.

Godolphin has a strong hand, fielding three of the seven runners, including Dubai Beach, who beat three of these rivals in the Group 2 Cape Verdi (1,600m) on Jan 16.

Those facing her again include her Saeed bin Suroor stablemate, Dubai Treasure, third last time.

“Dubai Beach and Dubai Treasure came out of the Cape Verdi in good shape and have been working well,” said Suroor, who has won the race four times.

“It’s a slightly different field compared to last time, and nine furlongs will be a new experience for both of my fillies. I am hoping that they can get nice and relaxed in the race again, which will give them the best chance of getting the trip.”

Godolphin’s other handler, Charlie Appleby, who holds the record in the race with five wins, sends out a new shooter in Blue Nazare, a 5½-length winner on debut at Great Yarmouth in October.

“Blue Nazare was impressive on her only start to date,” said Appleby. “She took her time to acclimatise to conditions out in Dubai but has come into herself recently.

“I don’t foresee any issues with the step-up in trip, although she is taking on some good fillies who have already run this winter.”

The 800,000-dirham Listed Road to the Kentucky Derby (formerly Al Bastakiya) over 1,900m carries Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the first time, with 20 available to the winner, 10 to the second and six for the third.

Trainer Bhupat Seemar, who experienced Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May with Summer Is Tomorrow back in 2022, has five runners, including Salloom who won easily over 1,600m on Jan 30.

“Salloom is doing great and I think he came out of the last race really well,” said Seemar. “He’s ready to go again and take his chance, but I hope he behaves in the gate – that’s the biggest thing.”

There are two Europeans in the field of 13, including the David Menuisier-trained Knight Of Glory, a creditable sixth behind eventual UAE 2000 Guineas winner Six Speed last time on Jan 2.

“Knight Of Glory broke his maiden over a mile at Lingfield, and I was eager to run him in the Guineas Trial to teach him how to handle kickback,” said the UK-based French trainer.

“The trip was far too short for him, but despite this he finished off his race really well, having been outpaced most of the way.

“He showed a little bit of greenness and temperament behind the stalls and that’s why I bypassed the Guineas, to give him time to digest the trip and the race.

“He’s been doing a lot of stalls work and has been absolutely grand. The trip will definitely suit him and I think he has a lot more to offer if he behaves himself. He’s definitely a horse to keep on the right side of.”

The Group 3 UAE Oaks (1,900m) offers qualifying points for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks (1,800m) in May. Seven horses head up, including Labwah, Tjareed, Dozalla and Yuno, first to fourth in January’s Cocoa Beach Stakes (1,600m).

“Labwah is super, there are only positives between her last run and Friday,” said trainer Salem bin Ghadayer. “She has a nice draw (1) and from there she can follow the pace, or lead, and I’m confident the extra 300m will be a plus too.”

The Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy (2,810m) was won last year by eventual Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup winner Dubai Future and eight horses will try to emulate him.

Sunway arrives in excellent form, having won the Group 3 Al Khail Trophy over course and distance on Jan 23, and his trainer Menuisier is hopeful.

“Sunway seems in really good form,” he said. “We’ll see how the race pans out but I would expect a good run. Obviously, there’s one or two unexposed types in the race, but he couldn’t be in better form.”

One of the unexposed runners is Surabad, who has just his second run in the UAE having previously been trained by Francis-Henri Graffard in France.

“Surabad came late, in November, and with a little bit of condition, so everything was a rush with him,” said bin Ghadayer.

“We gave him a race in the Emirates Championship which he needed; he’ll take something from that. I think he’ll be better over this distance than in his last race.”

Appleby will try and uphold Godolphin’s Nad Al Sheba Trophy record of nine wins in a row with By The Book, a Meydan winner on Dec 19.

“By The Book won nicely on his first Meydan start but disappointed in the Dubai Millennium Stakes, when nothing came to light afterwards apart from possibly the drop back to 1¼ mile,” said Appleby.

“He came out of the race fine and we have been toying about stepping him up to this sort of distance at some point. We are taking the plunge now and will be slightly wiser afterwards.”

DUBAI RACING CLUB