Meydan | Horse Racing Free Tips

Secret Ambition, Kimbear Renew Rivalry In Dubai This Thursday

Old rivals Secret Ambition and Kimbear spark anew their competitive relationship this Thursday in the Group 3 $130,000 Firebreak Stakes at Meydan Racecourse. Rated 109 and 108, respectively, the pair have faced off seven times, dating back to the 2018 Burj Nahaar (G3) when RRR Racing's (HH Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi) Kimbear defeated Nasir Askar's runner-up Secret Ambition.

In four of their seven meetings, they have finished adjacent on the results chart, including three one-two finishes. All in all, Kimbear has a 4-3 lead on his friendly foe.

“He's a nice horse and has always been great to train,” trainer Doug Watson said of Kimbear. “He drew the rail and we are putting the visor on him for the first time, so we'll likely go forward with him. He doesn't need the lead, but having the visor and the one-hole definitely gives away that we have to be up there. He needed that last race and that should have set him up for this. I'd like to think he will run well if all goes to plan and I hope he runs a good race.”

Overall, Kimbear has a record of 24-4-7-4 and has not won since the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 13 months ago—a race in which he defeated Secret Ambition and North America by a pair of noses. He exits his first race in 10.5 months when an uninspired eighth of 11 in a defense attempt. Pat Dobbs will be aboard, as he has been in all 14 of his UAE starts.

Satish Seemar-trained Secret Ambition enters off a respectable second in the Jebel Ali Mile (G3) as the market favorite and wheels back on just 13 days. He must shake off his 'seconditis' to win on Thursday, as he has finished thus in four of his past five tries. Overall, the 8-year-old son of Exceed and Excel seeks his 10th victory in what will be his 40th start and breaks from the outside post in the sextet with leading rider Tadhg O'Shea.

“Secret Ambition is in good form,” said Bhupat Seemar, assistant trainer. “Hopefully he's recovered well from the Jebel Ali Mile. He doesn't have the best of draws in six out of six, but he was second in this last year (to Capezzano) and Secret Ambition never runs a bad race. With a bit of luck, he should win or be right there.”

Capezzano's trainer Salem bin Ghadayer starts Matterhorn, unraced since romping in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 in March. The son of Raven's Pass has won nine of 22 and was third in this last year. Mickael Barzalona has the mount once again, with their only partnering being his last-out career-best performance. He leads the ratings at 113.

Multiple G3 winner Trancaferro (rated 106) will hope to continue the top form of Uruguayan trainer Antonio Cintra, who won last week's Al Bastakiya Trial with El Patriota. A stakes winner from 1800m to 2400m, Trancaferro will be traversing a trip below his optimal under Bernardo Pinheiro.

Hypothetical (97) has a great deal to find on ratings for the same Fazza Racing team as Matterhorn and exits a disappointing fourth in the Jebel Ali Mile. Oasis Charm (100) makes his dirt debut and appears to be using the race as a fitness builder for a turf return.

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International Cast Nominated for DWC

Over 700 horses have been nominated for the 25th running of the Dubai World Cup night card on Mar. 27. Nineteen countries are represented among the 762 horses which resulted in 1,511 nominations.

Leading the 176 nominations for the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup over 2000 metres on dirt is GI Pegasus World Cup hero Knicks Go (Paynter) for Brad Cox and GI Runhappy Malibu S. victor Charlatan (Speightstown) for Bob Baffert. MG1SW Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) will also take part, while Godolphin fields undefeated Maxfield (Street Sense) from the barn of Brendan Walsh. Grade II winners Sleepy Eyes Todd (Paddy O'Prado) and Tax (Arch) have also signed on, as has John Gosden's Dubai Warrior (GB) (Dansili {GB}).

The 2410-metre $5-million G1 Dubai Sheema Classic received 167 nominations, led by globetrotting MG1SW Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) for William Haggas. Japan is sending the MG1SW and 2020 G1 Arima Kinen heroine Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) and G1SW Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Other top-level winners on the list of nominees include Bill Mott's Channel Maker (English Channel), David Smaga's Nao Da Mais (Brz) (T. H. Approval) and Aidan O'Brien's Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).

Held over 1800 metres, the $4-million G1 Dubai Turf attracted 209 nominees led by Group 1 winner Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) for John Gosden and GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. winner Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) for Todd Pletcher. Pletcher also saddles GSW Largent (Into Mischief). G1 Queen Anne S. hero Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) is also part of the field for David O'Meara.

Americans have won 13 of the 24 editions of the $1.5-million G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, and Grade I winner C Z Rocket (City Zip) is the leading light for trainer Peter Miller of the 184 nominees. Steve Asmussen's Yaupon (Uncle Mo) has saluted at Grade II level, while 2019 Golden Shaheen runner-up Matera Sky (Speightstown) returns from the yard of Hideyuki Mori. Japan also has Yoshito Yahagi's Justin (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), while Gladiator King (Curlin) represents the locals in the 1200-metre test.

The fifth Thoroughbred Group 1 on tap for the evening is the $1-million Al Quoz Sprint, with 178 horses named as hopefuls for the six-panel turf dash. Aussie MG1SW Bivouac (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) flies the flag for Godolphin and James Cummings. Fellow Aussie Oleksandra (Aus) (Animal Kingdom) moved to the barn of American Neil Drysdale, but also is signed on, as is Roger Teal's G1 July Cup victor Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}) among others.

The G2 UAE Derby drew 148 prospective sophomores and Steve Asmussen's MGISW Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) leads the way. Doug O'Neill sends GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile bridesmaid Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), and Bob Baffert's duo of GSW & GISP Spielberg (Union Rags) and recent GSW Medina Spirit (Protonico). Listed UAE 1000 Guineas heroine Soft Whisper (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) could also make some noise.

In the $750,000 G2 Godolphin Mile, Hong Kong sends Elusive State (Aus) (All American {Aus}), while MGSW Mr Freeze (To Honor and Serve) represents Dale Romans. The 237 nominations also see Fawzi Nass's Port Lions (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) set to run.

Rounding out the Throughbred races is the $750,000 G2 Dubai Gold Cup over 3200 metres on grass. The 121 nominees features G1 Melbourne Cup placegetter Prince of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}), Jamie Osborne's Mekong (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and French Group 1 winners Call the Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), the latter for Mark Johnston.

For the full list of the nominees, please click here. The first supplementary stage closes on Feb. 10, the second on Mar. 8 and the final supplementary stage on Mar. 21. Connections must pay 0.1% at the first stage, 1% at the second stage and 10% at the final stage of their respective races' prizemoney to enter.

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‘She Has A Bright Future’: Soft Whisper Makes A Lot Of Noise In UAE 1,000 Guineas

The first classic of the UAE season took place in the UAE 1000 Guineas (Listed) this Thursday at Meydan, held over one mile on the dirt. Godolphin's Saeed bin Suroor-trained Soft Whisper vied for favoritism with Al Rashid Stables' Doug Watson-trained Mnasek before the race.

What set up as a great matchup never manifested as Soft Whisper screamed home a dominant seven-length winner under stalk-and-pounce Frankie Dettori tactics, while Mnasek missed the break before closing to a distant second under Dane O'Neill. Watson-trained Super Chianti was another 2 1/4 lengths back in third under Pat Dobbs after racing greenly during the final three furlongs.

The final time was 1:38.67 and the winner landed her second race of the season, following a one-sided tally in the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial three weeks ago. By Dubawi out of the Sea the Stars mare Placidia, the homebred gave Dettori his fourth win in the race this century and Bin Suroor his 12th. Bigger races may be on the horizon for the now four-time winner from six starts.

“She missed the kick last time, but this time she jumped really good into position and was always in control,” Dettori said. “When I kicked, she went–simply as that. I didn't have to do too much. She has a bright future. Saeed mentioned everything–Saudi (Derby), UAE Oaks, UAE Derby–who knows. When you win so impressively, you get excited and you think of big plans. I was just saying to Saeed that the last time I won a race this easily was probably Dubai Millennium in 2000. It took me 21 years to find one just as easy.

“That was good. We have big hopes for her. Maybe she didn't beat the best in the world, but the way she did it, you have to be impressed. We'll take one step at a time. Nothing has tested her today, so it would be wrong for me to say how good she is because I need some better competition, but at the moment everything is in the right place.”

“We got beat by a good horse on the night, there's no doubt about that,” O'Neill added about the runner-up. “We got a bit of kickback early on and they got a couple lengths on me on the turn, but when she saw daylight, she stayed on well. She's a timid little filly and likes a little bit of space and out of the kickback. She's a nice filly and she'll probably stay farther next time.”

Regarding Super Chianti, Dobbs added: “She was greener tonight than she was the first night. She travelled well, but when I went for her, she just stuck her head in the air and never went forward for me.”

The $1.5 million Saudi Derby is set for a similar one-turn, one-mile trip at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Feb. 20 in Riyadh, while the UAE Oaks (G3) over 1 3/16 miles on Feb. 18. The UAE Derby is slated for Dubai World Cup day, March 27.

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Dubawi’s ‘Whisper’ Stuns in UAE 1000 Guineas

Soft Whisper (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was anything but subtle when delivering a seven-length tour-de-force in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas at Meydan on Thursday night.

Forwardly placed from the bell, the heavy favourite charged straight to the head of affairs and dueled with Heshmah (Kitten's Joy) who passed her leaving the chute. Poised in second, the filly always appeared full of run and reinsman Frankie Dettori was practically motionless as Soft Whisper ranged alongside Heshmah with less than 600 metres remaining. It was only a matter of how far from there, with the relative of European highweight Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) running up a double-digit advantage by mid-stretch. Mnasek (Empire Maker), who completely blew the break, made up some late ground and cut into the margin at the line.

Winning the 1000 Guineas for the fourth time this century, Dettori said, “I am not sure how good the race was, but we could have won by twice as far and she could not have been more impressive. She seems to love that dirt surface and now has loads of options. Saeed and his team are talking about Saudi Derby, UAE Derby, UAE Oaks and all those type of races.”

Added trainer Saeed bin Suroor who was winning his 12th edition, “She gave me confidence when she won the last time. The filly has been improving all the time and this trip was much better for her, even nine furlongs in the future would be no problem for her. I talked to Frankie just now and he was happy at the way she finished the race. We will talk to Sheikh Mohammed and he will make a decision.

“She is a big and strong filly. She is a filly for the future. I have a lot of confidence for her future. We have entered her in the Kentucky Oaks also the European Classic Races. She is a top class filly, but the Classic races are hard to win and we're hoping for the best. ”

Second in a pair of novice races in July and August in the UK, the bay has now won four in a row, beginning with two nursury handicaps at Salisbury on Aug. 21 and Pontefract on Sept. 24. She also added a win in the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial by 2 1/2 lengths on Jan. 7.

The third foal from her winning dam, Soft Whisper is followed by a Shamardal juvenile filly. Placidia is a half-sister to French highweight Policy Maker (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), group winners Pushkin (Ire) (Caerleon) and Place Rouge (Ire) (Desert King {Ire}), and the dam of G1 Prix Ganay winner Planteur (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). The latter's dam is already the granddam of the aforementioned Persian King. Click for the Racing Post result. VIDEO.

Thursday's Results:
UAE 1000 GUINEAS PRESENTED BY LONGINES-Listed, $125,000, Meydan, 1-28, 3yo, f, 8f, 1:38.67, fs.
1–SOFT WHISPER (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Placidia (Ire), by Sea the Stars (Ire)
2nd Dam: Palmeraie, by Lear Fan
3rd Dam: Petroleuse (Ire), by Habitat
1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin; T-Saeed bin Suroor;
J-Frankie Dettori. $75,000. Lifetime Record: 6-4-2-0, $120,779.
2–Mnasek, 126, f, 3, Empire Maker–Washington Bridge, by
Yankee Gentleman. ($27,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEEJAN; $28,000 Ylg
'19 KEESEP; $15,000 2yo '20 FTIJUN). O-Al Rashid Stables LLC;
B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Doug Watson. $25,000.
3–Super Chianti, 126, f, 3, Super Saver–Tuscan Chianti, by
Roman Ruler. O/B-Charles E Fipke (KY); T-Doug Watson.
$12,500.
Margins: 7, 2 1/4, NK.
Also Ran: Khatun (GB), Nayefah, Heshmah, Revolutme (Ire).

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