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Victory For Uruguay on Super Saturday

Uruguayan trainer Antonio Cintra's first season with a satellite yard in Dubai continued in successful fashion with victory for Quality Boone (Arg) (Daniel Boone {Brz}) in the Listed Al Bastikaya, giving the colt his second win at Meydan this carnival.

Race favourite Bendoog (Gun Runner) got first jump and dominated the early stages in the lead on the rail under Tadhg O'Shea, with Get Back Goldie (Goldencents) pestering him for a short while but visibly weakening on the turn. With Bendoog's advantage appearing to increase off the bend, it wasn't long before the front-runner also started to look leg-weary in the straight.

The Fawzi Nass-trained Withering (GB) (Mondialiste {Ire}) was the first to take up the challenge and as he closed on the leader, Quality Boone swept past him down the centre of the track to win by a length and a quarter, with Withering snatching second, a nose in front of Bendoog. The international flavour of the race was highlighted by runners from four different countries filling the first four places: Withering represents Bahrain, while Bendoog is trained in Dubai, and the fourth-placed Final Dance (Tur) (Declaration Of War) in Turkey.

Quality Boone triumphed on his first start at Meydan over seven furlongs on Dec. 23 and has been a model of consistency since then, finishing runner-up next time at the same trip and then taking third in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas when stepping up to a mile last month. Carrying 10 pounds more than his northern hemisphere-bred rivals to allow for his slight age advantage, the winner will likely head next to the G2 UAE Derby on the Dubai World Cup card.

His jockey Vagner Leal said, “The horse is improving race by race and winning these races is very important for us. We know that each race is more difficult but I hope after this one he can improve and run well [in the UAE Derby].”

Leal took fifth in last week's G1 Saudi Cup aboard Aero Trem (Brz) (Shanghai Bobby), who is also trained by Cintra.

Pedigree notes

A half-brother to Argentinean Grade 1 winner Quiz Kid (Arg) (Forestry), Quality Boone is from the first crop of the Brazilian-based stallion Daniel Boone, a grandson of Wild Again who won the GI Grande Premio Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado. He is the ninth foal and fourth winner of his unraced dam Quindici (Crafty Prospector), a half-sister to the minor stakes winners Scolara (Elusive Quality) and Platinee (Gulch). The 19-year-old Quindici also has a 2-year-old full-brother to Quality Boone named Quibbler.

Saturday, Meydan, Middle East
AL BASTAKIYA (SPONSORED BY EMIRATES HOLIDAYS)-Listed, $170,000, Meydan, 3-5, NH3yo & SH3yo, 1900m, 2:00.91, ft.
1–QUALITY BOONE (ARG), 131, c, 3, by Daniel Boone (Brz)
1st Dam: Quindici, by Crafty Prospector
2nd Dam: Millie's Delight, by El Gran Senor
3rd Dam: Defer, by Damascus
1ST STAKES WIN. O-Stud Guara Del Sur; B-Haras Santa Maria
de Araras (ARG); T-Antonio Cintra Pereira; J-Vagner Leal.
$102,000. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-1, $148,226. *1/2 to Quiz Kid
(Arg) (Forestry), G1SW-Arg, $212,708.
2–Withering (GB), 121, c, 3, Mondialiste (Ire)–Just Jealous (Ire),
by Lope de Vega (Ire). (€25,000 wnl '19 GOFNOV; £50,000 yrl
'20 GOFSEP) O-Victorious; B-Elwick Stud (GB); T-Fawzi Nass.
$34,000.
3–Bendoog, 121, c, 3, Gun Runner–Nellie Cashman, by
Mineshaft. O-Mohammed Khaleel Ahmed; B-Calumet Farm
(KY); T-Bhupat Seemar. $17,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, 2HF.
Also Ran: Final Dance (Tur), Violent Justice, Get Back Goldie, Sari Dubai, Conglomerate (Ire), Mujeer, Quality Humor, Secret Image (Ire), Sed Maarib. Scratched: Qarnas. Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.

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‘When You Compete Against The Best It Makes You Better’: Uruguayan Star Aero Trem Targets Saudi Cup

South American superstar Aero Trem is on course to fly the flag for Uruguay in The Saudi Cup next year.

The winner of the Group 1 Gran Premio Latinoamericano, South America's most prestigious prize, has been shipped to Dubai to continue his preparation for the world's most valuable race.

It will be a remarkable achievement just to line up in the $20 million showpiece, set to be run as a Group 1 for the first time, at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh on Saturday, Feb. 26.

The 6-year-old nearly died when struck down by a serious bout of colic after winning the first two legs of Uruguay's Triple Crown three years ago.

He has since developed into South America's best horse and his ambitious trainer Antonio Cintra is keen to test his stable star against some of the world's top performers.

Assistant trainer Julio Olascoaga is overseeing Aero Trem's preparation in Dubai and said: “Aero Trem arrived on Monday. He travelled for two days to get to Dubai. He went from Uruguay to Germany and from Germany to Dubai. Horses usually lose weight in transit but, for him, it was like nothing had happened.

“He's arrived in fantastic condition. I took some blood and that was amazing. He can take all these things very well. I'm very happy with him – he looks great. He will start training at the end of the week.

“We're just waiting for an invitation to The Saudi Cup and then we'll work towards that. He's very highly-rated so I don't think he will have a problem getting in.”

Aero Trem won Uruguay's most important race over 1600m (one mile), the Gran Premio Pedro Pineyrua at Maronas, for the second successive year in January before landing the Gran Premio Latinoamericano in October.

It was only the second time in 38 years that a horse trained in Uruguay had landed South America's greatest race, run this year at Maronas.

The field contained the best horses from across the continent and Aero Trem was successful in course-record time. He led home a one-two for Brazilian Cintra – four-times Champion Trainer in Uruguay – with Atletico El Culano finishing runner-up in the 2000m (1 1/4-mile) dirt-track contest.

The victory came less than three years after Aero Trem had come dangerously close to losing his life to colic.

Olascoaga explained: “He had huge surgery and it was amazing work from the vets. He lost 150kg and it took a lot of time for him to recover.

“He's a horse that impresses you – when you think he might get beaten he just appears. In the Group 1s he has the extra power, he's amazing.

“Antonio has a dream to get his horses into the biggest races so we're working towards The Saudi Cup. It's a dream, a dream that might come true. It's unbelievable where this horse can take us.

“It's not just important for us – it's important for Uruguay and South America. We are testing how far we can go and how good the horses are. It's about measuring our horses on the world stage to see where we are.

“When you compete against the best it makes you better. If you're always competing at the same level you will never improve. If you raise the bar you have to push yourself to be better.

“That's even more important than the prize money. Money is important but it's not everything.

“We've never been to Saudi but we've heard about the track from people we know. They say the track will suit the Uruguayan horses much better than Dubai as it has a longer straight. The Uruguayan tracks generally have long straights so it's pretty similar.

“A fast pace will suit him, the distance will suit him, the track will suit him.”

Big-race jockey Vagner Leal, a Brazilian based in Uruguay, is expected to arrive in Dubai later this week. He will help with the preparation of Cintra's team and will take the ride on Aero Trem, who races in the colors of Brazilian owners Haras Old Friends, if he makes it in to The Saudi Cup field.

The trainer's horses based in Dubai include last year's Uruguay Derby hero El Patriota, a winner in Dubai in February, and talented 3-year-old Perfect Love. They will both be entered in the Saudi International Handicap run on the opening day of The Saudi Cup meeting on Friday, Feb. 25.

The Uruguayan runners at the glittering Saudi Cup meeting will have at least one famous supporter. Manchester United footballer Edison Cavani owns horses trained by Cintra and he has been keeping a close eye on the progress of the potential Saudi raiders.

Olascoaga added: “He's a very nice guy. He came to play for Uruguay in a World Cup qualifier and he came straight from the airport to the races. Everyone was going crazy.

“He loves horses and he's supportive of racing. It's very good for the industry, he brings the fans in.”

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Uruguayan Star Ajuste Fiscal Seeking Dubai World Cup Invite, Tops Thursday’s Al Maktoum Challenge

Uruguayan star Ajuste Fiscal tops a seemingly strong contingent brought by Dubai World Cup Carnival-winning conditioner Antonio Cintra when he starts in Thursday's Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 at Meydan Racecourse.

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.

Ajuste Fiscal is sired by the Illinois-bred multiple Grade 3 winner Ioya Bigtime (Dynaformer).

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 (one mile) 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.”

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