Melbourne, Vic (Feb 26th, 2010) - Racing overnight at Dubia’s state-of-the art racing facility, Meydan, hosted the Listed UAE Oaks and the Australian bred Raihana, trained by Mike de Kock, took out the prize. (more…)

Melbourne, Vic (Feb 24th, 2010) - Aichi, Raihana and Le Drakkar will be flying the Aussie flag at Meydan on Thursday night appearing on the eight race card in Dubai. (more…)

Melbourne, Vic (Jan 29th, 2010) - Dubai’s new state-of-the art racing facility, Meydan was opened last night with the running of the $200,000 Maktoum Challenge Round 1 (UAE –G3) and it went to (more…)

   The Group 1 Dubai Duty Free is traditionally the hardest race to call on Dubai World Cup night and this year is no different.  Pundits can make a decent case for 11 horses to come up trumps, with last year’s victory for rank outsider Jay Peg at massive odds not helping the confidence of punters trying to pick the winner.
   But the form of last year’s race worked out spectacularly in subsequent Group 1 triumphs.
   Jay Peg, pictured left, who is entered for the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup in Hong Kong in April, followed up his shock victory by taking the SIA Cup at Kranji, ahead of that reliable international yardstick Balius.
“He always takes a couple of runs to get fit, so hopefully he should be spot on for the night now,” commented Herman Brown, whose stable star has run twice at the 2009 Dubai International Racing Carnival.
Third and fourth in the 2008 Dubai Duty Free, Archipenko and Vodka could claim to have been unlucky or unsuited to the pace of the race 12 months ago, and will go into this as worthy market principals. 
Mike De Kock’s Archipenko won last year’s Audemars Piguet QEII Cup at Sha Tin, ahead of local idol Viva Pataca and Helene Mascot, and was an unlucky, fast-finishing second in the Arlington Million after picking up a tough Group 2 at Ascot. His global heroics stand up in a number of form strands and the 1777 metres may well be his optimum trip.
     De Kock, whose star could bid to repeat his heroics at Sha Tin on April 26, commented: “He will come on a lot for his first run (when winning in February) as he was certainly not fully wound up. He is a classy performer though and we will go to the Duty Free very hopeful of a big run.”
    Champions Mile entrant Vodka’s form in the past year has also been rock solid, much better than when going into this race last year. She’s been in the frame in six high-class contests since then, winning the Tenno Sho and Yasuda Kinen.
Her prep run didn’t go to plan after a curious ride from Yutaka Take, but she travelled serenely until hitting a wall of traffic. But in terms of bringing her to a peak, this would have done just the job for trainer Katsuhiko Sumii: The mare must be seriously feared.
Neither Vodka (pictured left) or Archipenko is the highest-rated horse in the field though. That honour goes to Paco Boy, also entered for the Hong Kong meeting in the Champions Mile on April 26, after he ran out a three-length winner of the G1 Prix De La Foret at Longchamp in October.
      While a massive improver throughout his three-year-old career that victory was over 1400m, and Paco Boy has never won at any distance beyond that. Stamina worries played on trainer Richard Hannon’s mind before electing to take his chance and, therefore, his charge should be regarded with caution in a lofty market position against a crack field.
    “He’s flying and working super,” said Richard Hannon jnr, the trainer’s son and assistant.
   Balius has direct form lines just behind Jay Peg, and was an excellent second to Eagle Mountain in December’s Hong Kong Cup and again has strong claims. He is another that could also return to Sha Tin for the QEII next month.
   The narrow 2007 Hong Kong Mile runner-up Creachadoir would be in with a shout on previous form, but has it all to do since being off the track with injury since last May.
    Of the Godolphin hope, who also holds an entry for the Champions Mile, trainer Saeed Bin Suroor said: “He was injured before Royal Ascot and missed the rest of the year but has come back well and has been in good form at home.”
    Australia is represented by Niconero and Tuesday Joy, winners of five and four Group 1 races respectively, and who could both head for the QEII.
    As such those looking for an outsider to make the frame should consider the relatively unexposed Gladiatorus. A smart juvenile in Italy he was injured for 15 months before resurfacing in style at this year’s carnival with a stunning win in the Al Fahidi Fort.

*Photos courtesy of Dubai Racing Club

Albert Maximus (ex Chasethewildwind by Forty Niner)

The connections of 2007 Dubai World Cup winner Invasor look to be in pole position to repeat the celebrations two years on with America’s big hope Albertus Maximus .  
    Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum team up with the classy five-year-old, who the former believes has what it takes to win the world’s richest race, valued at US$6m.
   The son of Albert The Great won the Grade I Donn Handicap at Gulfstream back in January, a race which has thrown up four previous winners of the Dubai World Cup.
“I wouldn’t trade places with anybody. I feel like he’s the horse to beat,” McLaughlin said.
“This is a very professional racehorse. We might get beaten, but they’ll have to run a tremendous race to beat this horse. He’s just doing fabulous.”
  
  His main rival looks to be last year’s runner-up Asiatic Boy (ARG) (Not For Sale - S S Asiatic by Polish Navy), trained by South African maestro Mike De Kock.
The six-year-old looks right on track following his comfortable win in the Group 2 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 at Nad Al Sheba earlier this month – a race which has proved the best local guide over the years, with three winners going on to Dubai World Cup glory.
    De Kock said: “He will come on for that run and there is hopefully more to come.
“His preparation has gone as well as we could have hoped and we are well on target.”
      Asiatic Boy only finished a head in front of Well Armed  in the 2000m showpiece on dirt 12 months ago.    

Well Armed (Tiz Now - Well Dressed by Notebook)

Haling from America, who have landed seven Dubai World Cups out of 13, Well Armed has been in great form on synthetic tracks in the US.
Trainer Eoin Harty said: “I’m confident my horse can compete. He’s still in top form and there’s no Curlin in there like last year. I don’t know if he’ll win, but I think he’ll run very respectably.”
The home challenge is led by Godolphin, who have an excellent record in the race with five previous winners.
Their hopes this year lie with My Indy, who has scored two from two at Nad Al Sheba this Carnival, including victory in the Group 3 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2.
Saeed bin Suroor, the Godolphin trainer, commented: “My Indy is a very tough horse who always tries his best. He has come on well from his first victory of the year and we hope he can improve further.”
The UAE is also represented by Happy Boy, who has been rejuvenated by his new trainer Mubarak Bin Shafya to finish second behind My Indy and then Asiatic Boy.
Japan’s hopes of a first Dubai World Cup lie with Casino Drive, who was a sharp second in the one-mile, Grade 1 February Stakes at Tokyo on February 22.
Breeders’ Cup-winning form is represented by the Marathon winner Muhannak, who was fifth on his UAE debut on March 5, having previously finished seventh to Doctor Dino in the Hong Kong Vase in December.
The international flavour of the race is enhanced by the French-trained Gloria De Campeao, eighth last year, and the Saudi Arabian raider but rank outsider Joe Louis.

*Photos courtesy of Dubai Racing Club