dubai world cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Lord Glitters Returns Friday At Meydan To Attempt Back-To-Back Singspiel Victories

There are plenty of Dubai World Cup pointers at Meydan Racecourse on Friday, when the track stages four Group races. The official feature is the Group 2 Singspiel Stakes over nine furlongs on turf, which sees popular grey Lord Glitters try to become the first horse to win back to back renewals.

“We're happy with his training and we thought he ran well enough the other night in his first run at Meydan this season,” said UK-based trainer David O'Meara. “He had a little break after Bahrain [G3 International Trophy, Nov. 19] and might have needed his first run back.”

It won't be easy for O'Meara's star as Charlie Appleby saddles Zakouski, who boasts an impressive track record, having won three of his four starts here. His only local defeat came at the hands of Lord Glitters in last year's Singspiel.

“He didn't see out the 1 1/4-mile trip when ninth in the Bahrain International Trophy last time,” said the UK Champion Trainer. “We think he'll be better down in trip in the Singspiel as he ran really well in the race last year.”

The strong field also includes Sir Busker, who makes his UAE debut for trainer William Knight, who experienced Carnival success back in 2007 when Illustrious Blue won at Nad Al Sheba. Third in the G1 Queen Anne at Royal Ascot in June, the 6-year-old represents Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds and will use this race as a prep for the G1 Emirates Airline Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday.

“We're excited to see Sir Busker line up in Friday's Singspiel Stakes,” said Sam Hoskins, Syndicate Manager for Kennet Valley.

“He travelled over well last weekend and has settled in nicely to life at Meydan. He has been working nicely at home in Newmarket and while he will improve a bit for the run (Super Saturday being the main aim), hopefully he will run a nice race here.”

There are two Group 3s on the card, including the UAE 2000 Guineas, which sees a rematch between the first three home in the Guineas Trial; Rawy, Quality Boone and Kiefer.

Rawy is owned by RRR Racing and trained by Salem Bin Ghadayer, who said: “He ran well in the Guineas Trial and came back from the race well; very sound.

“It's pretty much a similar field in the Guineas and the two extra furlongs will not be an issue for the horse. He's in good form and has handled his preparation very well. I believe that he is going to run a big race on Friday.”

The other Group 3 is the Al Shindagha Sprint over six furlongs, in which Doug Watson's Al Tariq will defend his title. He has a kilo penalty for his G3 Dubawi Stakes win last time out, in which Freedom Fighter and Canvassed were behind him.

Canvassed, winner of the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal over course and distance last March, will be ridden by Andrea Atzeni, who said: “he was a bit rusty last time and just got very tired. Doug Watson and the team have done a great job with him and Sam Hitchcott breezed him the other day and he did a nice piece of work, so hopefully he will have come on for that run.”

The Listed Curlin Stakes [Presented by Race of Ambition], run over the same 2000metres as the G1 Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup, will see Group 1 winner Salute The Soldier make his second start of the year. Trained by Fawzi Nass, the 7-year-old won G1 Maktoum Challenge R3 last season and was fifth in Round 1 last month.

“He's in good shape. He's had his first run now, over a mile, because we thought he would be gassy and fresh and needing the run,” said the Bahraini handler. “Hopefully that race has brought him on and he's ready to rock and roll this week in the Curlin Stakes.”

The formidable line-up includes Dubai Icon, an 8 1/2-length winner last time out when the re-opposing G2 UAE Derby winner Rebel's Romance was among his victims.

The card also stages a new race, the Listed Business Bay Challenge over seven furlongs on turf. It sees the return of three-time course winner D'Bai, who won the Group 2 Zabeel Mile here last season.

The evening's action gets underway with the Group 2 Mazrat Al Ruwayah, for Purebred Arabians, in which RB Money To Burn defends her title, but faces stiff opposition from Namrood, a near nine-length winner here 11 days ago.

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Will Life Is Good and Flightline Meet? Maybe

It's not too early to lump Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in with some of the best horses of the modern era. That's how good he was Saturday at Gulfstream when he dominated over a field that included the soon-to-be-named 2021 Horse of the Year Knicks Go (Paynter) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. in what was nothing less than a sensational performance.

But is he even the best horse in training?

It's a rare and special time for horse racing, which has been blessed with not just one but two horses who appear to be generational talents who could go down as among the best that ever raced.

The other, of course, is Flightline (Tapit), the fabulously talented but lightly raced $1-million yearling buy whose effortless win in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. drew comparisons to superstars like Ghostzapper (Awesome Again). He was given a 118 Beyer in the Malibu win, better than Life Is Good's best figure, which is the 110 Beyer he picked up in the Pegasus.

Who's better? The debate has already begun, but it's a question that can only be answered on the racetrack. Unfortunately, the two aren't exactly on a collision course to meet.

Flightline returned to the work tab Sunday at Santa Anita. In his first work since Dec. 19, a week before the Malibu, he went four furlongs in 47.80. Afterward, trainer John Sadler told the Daily Racing Form's Jay Privman that Flightline would start next in the Mar. 5 GII San Carlos S. at seven furlongs. The next start after that will likely be the GI Metropolitan H. to be run June 11.

As for Life Is Good, his next start will likely come in the Mar. 26 G1 Dubai World Cup.

“We're going to huddle up this week and discuss it,” said Elliott Walden, the president and CEO of racing operations for WinStar Farm, the co-owner of Life Is Good. “He will not run in the Saudi Cup, back in four weeks. So, Dubai would be the next option. We're going to see how he comes back and then start to map out the whole year.”

So far as the Met Mile goes, Walden wouldn't rule it out, but said that, if Life Is Good is to run in Dubai, that may eliminate the Met Mile from consideration. The next spot that could bring Flightline and Life Is Good together is the GI Whitney S. Sadler has listed that as a possible start for Flightline and Walden said Sunday it is a race that is also under consideration for Life Is Good. If all else fails, there is always the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, a race both stars are pointing toward.

“It would be fabulous if those two were to meet,” Walden said. “It would be great for horse racing. I think it's more a question of when than if. We haven't ducked anybody. We said right after the Dirt Mile what we were planning on doing. We want to do right by our horse and I know John Sadler wants to do right by his horse. He's a tremendous trainer. At some point they will meet and it will be great for racing.”

Life Is Good made his first three starts for trainer Bob Baffert. When Baffert ran into problems with the New York Racing Association, which has been attempting to suspend him, Life Is Good was transferred to Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher.

“I can't think of a horse [I trained] better than him,” Pletcher said following the Pegasus.

“To me, Life Is Good is right up there with Justify,” Walden said. “Justify won the Triple Crown and was undefeated. Bob [Baffert] early on compared him to American Pharoah and Justify. You think about all of the good horses Bob has had and all the good horses Todd has had and it's pretty amazing to think he's in that elite company.”

Walden, a former trainer, sees in Life Is Good characteristics that set him apart from most every other horse.

“The thing that separates Life is Good from the rest of the good horses I've been around is the fact that he never had a bad day,” he said. “Most horses will have an average workout from time to time, even though they are a very good horses, or they might look flat. This horse has never had a bad day on the racetrack. That's something, the more I've been around and the more I see, that is a characteristic of the great ones.”

That Life Is Good, who was the 4-5 favorite under Irad Ortiz, Jr., won was hardly a surprise, but few could have imagined that he could have out-sprinted a horse as quick as Knicks Go and open up by 3 1/2 lengths on his rival. Walden said the plan was to do what it took to get the lead.

“That was the game plan,” Walden said. “I know people say that's hard to fathom that, but this horse was in front of Jackie's Warrior at Saratoga in the Allen Jerkens. Why wouldn't he be in front of Knicks Go? I know Knicks Go is a great horse and is a deserving champion, but I didn't have any doubt he could be up there with Knicks Go. I'm not saying I thought he'd be three or four lengths in front of him, but I never thought he'd take a back seat to his speed, just because of what happened at Saratoga. To be in front of Jackie's Warrior like he was, that showed the speed and athleticism that Life Is Good has.”

The post Will Life Is Good and Flightline Meet? Maybe appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Hot Rod Charlie En Route To Dubai; Has Feb. 4 Prep Race Before World Cup

Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie was en route to Dubai Monday for the $12 million, Group 1 Dubai World Cup on March 26. The son of Oxbow is scheduled to have a prep race there on Feb. 4 for the World Cup.

The popular 4-year-old colt had his final workout at Santa Anita Saturday for the 1 1/4-mile World Cup at Meydan Race Course, going five furlongs in 1:01.20.

Hot Rod Charlie won the 2021 Secretariat Vox Populi Award created by Secretariat's owner Penny Chenery, annually recognizing the horse whose popularity and racing excellence best resounded with the general public and gained recognition for Thoroughbred racing.

Flight time from Los Angeles to Dubai is approximately 16 hours, covering some 8,300 miles.

“He's a good shipper,” trainer Doug O'Neill said. “He absolutely loves it. He loves traveling.

“He went fantastic in his breeze here and we're super-optimistic. We're going one day at a time, but as we speak, he's doing really well.

“He'll be surrounded by all his normal people from our staff, and Dubai's racing department has been great with us in the past.

“We're really looking forward to getting over there and experiencing it again.”

The post Hot Rod Charlie En Route To Dubai; Has Feb. 4 Prep Race Before World Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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MGSW Lone Rock May Target Dubai World Cup

Flying P Stable and R. A. Hill Stable's Lone Rock (Majestic Warrior), winner of the 13-furlong GII Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. on the Breeders' Cup undercard at Del Mar Nov. 6, is a possible candidate for the G1 $12-million Dubai World Cup Mar. 26, according to trainer Robertino Diodoro. If all goes well in the 7-year-old gelding's next start, the GIII Razorback H. at Oaklawn Feb. 12, the Dubai World Cup will likely be next.

“I don't know if we have to win [the Razorback],” Diodoro said. “We are shortening up to a mile and a sixteenth in the Razorback. As long as he shows up again and runs like he's been running, then we're going to give it [Dubai World Cup] some serious consideration, for sure.”

Lone Rock closed out his 2021 campaign, which also included wins in Belmont's GII Brooklyn S. and Saratoga's Birdstone S., with a Dec. 18 score in Oaklawn's 1 1/8 mile Tinsel S. He won seven of nine last year after being claimed by Diodoro for $40,000 in his last 2020 start, a Churchill win at one mile. It was the second time in four months–and four starts–that Diodoro had claimed the bay. The conditioner began stretching Lone Rock out and the gelding responded with five wins at 1 1/2 miles or more.

The Razorback, held at 1 1/16 miles, would be Lone Rock's first start at less than 1 1/8 miles since an allowance victory at the Razorback distance in his 2021 debut last February at Oaklawn. The Dubai World Cup is contested at about 1 1/4 miles. Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) won the 2017 Razorback before finishing second in Dubai in what ultimately culminated with a Horse of the Year title. Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) won last year's Razorback prior to a Dubai World Cup win.

“After talking with the owner and stuff, I think [the Razorback] lines up good,” said Diodoro. “Got lots of space between the Tinsel and the Razorback… I keep saying as soon as this horse is telling us he needs a break, we're going to go give him a break. But right now, he keeps telling us he's ready to go and take one step at a time.”

Lone Rock worked Friday morning at Oaklawn, breezing a half-mile in :49.60 under regular rider Ramon Vazquez.

The post MGSW Lone Rock May Target Dubai World Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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