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Colts Line Up for UAE 2000 Guineas as Carnival Continues at Meydan

The 1800-metre G3 UAE 2000 Guineas is one of two group races on the third card of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, and drew a sextet of entries led by Godolphin's Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The 104-rated bay, tops for the field, has never been off the board in five starts. Listed-placed at second asking at Ascot in July, the Charlie Appleby trainee graduated by 4 1/2 lengths in a 1400-metre York maiden on Aug. 21. His final two runs of the season were both thirds-in the Sept. 6 G3 Prix la Rochette at ParisLongchamp and when tiring after setting the pace in Saint-Cloud's G3 Prix Thomas Byron on Oct. 2. The 2000 Guineas is his dirt bow.

If the colt won, it would be a third UAE 2000 Guineas for Appleby, who said, “He is a solid little horse and we debated whether to keep him to turf or try the dirt, but his work at home, on dirt, has been very good, so we thought it was worth a crack.”

Next on ratings is Mouheeb (Flatter) from the yard of Nicholas Bachalard at 95. A winner at first asking at Jebel Ali in December, he was runner-up in a one-mile conditions affair locally on Jan. 14, one better than dual Meydan winner Zhou Storm (GB) (Due Diligence).

Bachalard said, “He had a very hard race in the trial, but seems to have come out of that in great shape, so we hope, he has a live chance.”

Also on Thursday is the G3 Firebreak S., which marks the return of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's G1SW Matterhorn (Ire) (Raven's Pass). The 6-year-old entire has progressed steadily through the ranks, and, after running third in this race last year, he stretched out in trip to take the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 by daylight on the front end in March.

Meydan veteran Kimbear (Temple City) receives a slight class break after running eighth in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 on Jan. 21. The 7-year-old Doug Watson charge is a two-time group winner in the UAE after success in the 2018 G3 Burj Nahaar and 2020 G2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1, with the re-opposing Secret Ambition (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) second both times.

Watson told the Meydan notes team, “He needed that first run, probably more than we realised, but is training very well and seems in great form. We have put a visor on him so, being drawn one, I guess we will have to be quite positive and go forward.”

The latter, who struck at the Group 3 level at Jebel Ali in January of 2019, reversed fortunes with Kimbear with a one-length score in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile in December of 2019. He is also a two-time Firebreak bridesmaid in 2019 and in 2020. Trained by Satish Seemar, the 8-year-old entire ran third in the G3 Jebel Ali Mile on Jan. 22.

Assistant trainer Bhupat Seemar said, “The Jebel Ali Mile was only 13 days ago, but he seems to have recovered well. Drawn widest of all in six is probably not ideal, but he has run well in this before and never has a bad race.”

The oversubscribed Listed Dubai Sprint is a six-furlong contest on turf, and Ekhtiyaar (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) represents the Doug Watson barn. Bearing the Shadwell colours, the gelding, a dual runner-up in the 2019/20 G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, returned to take fourth after a 320-day break in a handicap at Meydan on Jan. 21.

Richard Barnes's Could Be King (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) has been MSP at the listed level throughout his career and he added another runner-up effort in the Listed Testimonial S. at The Curragh in October. The gelding was a one-paced fifth, one behind GSP Silver Line (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and one better than MGSP Final Song (Ire) (Dark Angel {Aus})-both of whom run for Godolphin–in the Jan. 21 G2 Al Fahidi Fort for trainer Ken Condon.

Godolphin fields the majority of the entrants in the Listed Meydan Cup over 2810 metres of sod, with seven entered. MGSW Ispolini (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was off the board in the Jan. 21 Listed Dubai Racing Club Classic most recently and looks to rebound for Charlie Appleby. French Group 3 winner Moonlight Spirit (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and listed winner Ghostwatch (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) are also signed on for Appleby. GSP Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) ran second in a listed handicap here on Jan. 21 for Saeed bin Suroor, while Global Heat (Ire) (Toronado {Ire}) saluted for the same yard in a Jan. 14 handicap.

Communique (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}), second in a German Group 1 this past fall for Mark Johnston, now races for Salem bin Ghadayer and bids to improve off a 12th in a listed handicap here on Jan. 21. MSP Chouain (Fr) (Rajsaman {Fr}) represents trainer Miroslav Rulec and won a Deauville contest on Dec. 27.

Click here to view the group fields.

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Mouheeb, Naval Crown Headline Thursday’s UAE 2,000 Guineas

Thursday's second classic of the Dubai season, the Group 3 $125,000 UAE 2000 Guineas, has drawn a solid sextet, led by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Jebel Ali Racecourse-based Mouheeb and Godolphin's Naval Crown. The 1600m (one mile) affair goes as the evening's third of six races.

Three weeks ago, Mouheeb valiantly battled leading local sophomore Rebel's Romance to a short head in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial over this one-mile layout. On the merits of such, he is the co-favorite in this, despite his 95 official rating landing nine pounds short of Charlie Appleby-conditioned Naval Crown.

A well-bred sort for these conditions, the son of Flatter is a brother to Swale (G3) winner and dual G1-placed Favorable Outcome. He commenced his career with a one-sided win up the Jebel Ali hill over a straight six furlongs before closing resolutely in his aforementioned runner-up effort on Jan. 14.

“Mouheeb has trained well,” trainer Nicholas Bachalard said. “He had a tough race last time, but I think he's bounced out of it very well. It's going to be a tactical race with a small field, which is not ideal, but I think he will run well. He finished up his race well last time over this distance, so maybe if he runs well, we will consider the UAE Derby going forward. On pedigree, it looks like he's a miler, but sometimes it just depends on the competition.”

Naval Crown has more seasoning, with five starts in 2020, and is a son of UAE's top sire of winners, Dubawi, who has already sired Saudi Derby-bound Rebel's Romance and the winner of last weeks' UAE 1000 Guineas (Listed), Soft Whisper. An impressive winner at Yorkshire Ebor at third asking and a respectable third to Chindit in July as a maiden, he exits a pair of thirds in G3 company in France. His placing in the Prix la Rochette (G3) was especially flattering, as runner-up Sealiway went on to win the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1) and both he and the winner, Go Athletico, subsequently contested the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

“Naval Crown is a solid little horse,” trainer Charlie Appleby said. “We toyed with the idea of sticking to the turf, but his homework on our dirt (at Marmoom Stables) is very good. The question mark would obviously be the trip—it will be his maximum, this mile, but what he brings is a certain level of class off the European form and race experience. As a rule, he shows good gate speed, so he does tick a few boxes going into it. The question marks are the (Meydan) dirt and that trip, but there's only one Guineas out there and we'll have a crack at it.”

Appleby also gave an update on the barn's leading dirt sophomore: “Rebel's Romance is in good form and obviously the plan is for him to head to Saudi for the Derby on the 20th. He's done well since his run and we're looking forward to taking him over there.”

The remaining quartet in the Guineas is topped by one-sided maiden victor Meshakel, who is owned and trained by UAE's leading conditioner Salem bin Ghadayer and cost $640,654 at auction. The Ali Rashid Al Rayhi-trained pair of Zhou Storm and Grand Dubai—who have three local wins between them—must be respected in here, as well, while trainer Doug Watson starts good-looking Tapiture maiden Uncle Hamed, who has a pair of seconds from three starts and should appreciate the up in trip.

Zhou Storm sparked the imagination with a pair of smart victories over the Meydan surface, but failed to match strides when third in the Trial by seven lengths. Grand Dubai, who races for his trainer, wheels back on one week's rest after finishing 10th in the Al Bastakiya Trial over 9.5 furlongs. He owns a victory over this course and distance three starts back on Dec. 17. Adrie de Vries rides Grand Dubai, while Maxime Guyon, who recently brought his tack to Dubai for the remainder of the winter, rides Elbashir Salem Elhrari's Zhou Storm.

Al Rayhi said, courtesy of a translator: “They're doing very well. Grand Dubai is in good form. Zhou is doing well and won his two starts, but last time there was a strong pace in the beginning and he didn't finish. This distance will suit him, hopefully, and with a smaller field, which should help him to get his position and then kick like he did (in his wins). We tried to get Maxime to ride for us a couple years ago for the season, but it didn't happen, so when Connor decided to go back (to the UK) because of the lockdown situation, it seemed a good opportunity to give Maxime some rides, since he's here now.

“Grand Dubai has come out of his run last week very well and has shown he is happy,” Al Rayhi continued. “Coming off a race, we're coming in very easy this week, but he has not shown that he is tired. I think he will run well.”

Watson is confident that Abdul Mohsen Al Abdul Kareem's Uncle Hamed will improve over a course more similar to the oval he trains on at home. All three of his starts have come up the hill at Jebel Ali over a straight sprint.

“We're giving him the visor for the first time and I know there's speed in the race,” Watson said. “It's also a nice, small field and I think he wants this trip. I like our horse to run a big race if he likes Meydan and I think he will. We gelded him just before his last race and (jockey) Pat Dobbs said he's been a different horse since then. He's a neat little horse and I would love to see him run a big race in the Guineas.”

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Buick and Foley Join STC International Jockeys’ Challenge

William Buick and Shane Foley are two of the jockeys that will take part in the second STC International Jockeys' Challenge at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 19. The second $20-million Saudi Cup, part of the $30.5 million Saudi Cup card, is set for Feb. 20.

“My first time riding in Saudi was around 12 years ago, I've been in and out since then,” said Buick, who rode in the original turf trials at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in January of 2020. “Last year I came over for the turf trials, which went very well indeed. The Saudi Cup raceday itself was a massive success. There were winners from all over the world, and the races were really competitive. For the organisers of a big meeting, that's your dream–competitive racing and a level playing field.

“I'm really looking forward to the international jockeys' challenge. I love these competitions. I think I've won the Mauritius one once – I've taken part in Hong Kong a few times, and there was also one the JRA used to do on Japan Cup weekend. This will be my first time riding in the Saudi challenge, and I really like the look of the format–four races, everyone riding in each race and the points system. It's simple but it works.”

“I really enjoy riding abroad and think it's massively important,” added Foley, who was runner-up in the 2020 Irish Jockeys' Championship. “The racing in Saudi Arabia is a big and growing operation as far as owners are concerned, and all it takes is to kick on with one there and you could bring an owner back to Ireland for your stable.

“I rode in the Japanese jockeys' challenge in 2018–which was a good experience–and I've ridden against some of these jockeys, like Pierre-Charles Boudot and Jessica Marcialis in the Arc and Breeders' Cup weekends. It's nice to be associated with these high-quality names and events, and I'm really looking forward to it.”

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Godolphin Named Leading French Owner in 2020

Godolphin has been named the leading owner in France for 2020 by France Galop. Their 77-strong French string, trained primarily by Andrew Fabre and Alex Pantall ran 281 times with 60 wins. They earned $2,235,078, just $1,707 more than White Birch Farm at €2,233,371. Godolphin's British string's French successes of over €600,000 are not included in these totals.

Peter Brant's White Birch Farm celebrated a win in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) last season. Third on the list is His Highness The Aga Khan with 59 wins and €1.8 million in prizemoney, and those green and red silks would be on top if earnings plus owners' premiums were taken into account. Fourth is Wertheimer et Frere at €1.5 million.

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