Dubai World Cup Horses Out in Force

Less than a week remains before the $26.5-million Dubai World Cup card, split between eight Thoroughbred races and one for Purebred Arabians. Horses were out in force over the Meydan track on Monday morning, with several turning in final works prior to the big night.

Most of the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup hopefuls completed maintenance works on Monday, but one of the American contenders-Jesus' Team (Tapiture), runner-up in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. on Jan. 23–galloped 1 1/2 circuits.

“We went to the track with him very early, because I want him to know the lights when we're going to run,” said trainer Jose Francisco D'Angelo, who was the champion trainer in Venezuela in 2018. “It will be his first time running under the lights. Jesus did it perfectly. The horse is 100%. He loves Dubai, the weather, the water and the environment. I think he's ready with that last work at Palm Meadows over seven furlongs under his belt.”

Another horse representing the U.S. is Pegasus fourth and Saudi Cup fifth Sleepy Eyes Todd (Paddy O'Prado), who completed a two-minute lick during the second training slot.

“He did a two-minute mile and finished the last half a mile very strongly,” said trainer Miguel Angel Silva. “He went beautifully. I really liked it. Today was the last day of working. From now on, we just wait for the big race.”

A third American horse that breezed on Monday was GIII Louisiana S. victor Title Ready (More Than Ready) for trainer Dallas Stewart. The Charles Fipke colourbearer worked 800 metres in company with G2 UAE Derby aspirant Ambivalent (Constitution) from the Doug O'Neill barn.

“We just wanted something easy in :49 or :50 seconds and that's what we got,” assistant trainer Marcelino Jacuinde said. “Pedro Velez was on him, who was here the last two times in Dubai and he rode him last week before we came here.

“I thought he went just the way we wanted. He was nice and easy. We'll walk him tomorrow and come back to the track the next couple days.”

Ambivalent pleased assistant trainer Leandro Mora ahead of a start in the $750,000 G2 UAE Derby. A son of Constitution for Reddam Racing, the Grade II-placed winner breezed 800 metres with Grade III winner Title Ready.

“He comes from a really hot stallion and he has been unlucky in quite a few races,” Mora said. “He's doing very well and we'll try to get the points to be in the Kentucky Derby in the USA. I think the 1900m distance is an advantage for him and will help him.”

Ambivalent will have plenty of competition in the Derby, with 2021 Saudi Derby hero Pink Kamehameha (Jpn) (Leontes {Jpn}) set to line up among others. Hideyuki Mori's work rider Masaki Takano was bullish on his horse, who cantered 1 1/2 laps on the dirt track on Monday morning.

“Everything about him let us know he is a very healthy horse and keeps good form,” said Takano.

 

Gosdens' Trio in Good Form

John and Thady Gosden's Saudi Cup and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), who is lining up for the $5-million G1 Dubai Sheema Classic on grass, is in good order ahead of Saturday's appearance. Out of quarantine, the younger Gosden was on hand to watch the 4-year-old colt canter around the training track with stablemates Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) (G1 Dubai Turf) who won the G1 Prince of Wales's S. last year and Saudi Derby second New Treasure (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) (G2 UAE Derby).

“Mishriff has done well, he's happy and fresh,” said Thady Gosden. “He's obviously been to Saudi and back and taken the travelling well. He's a straightforward horse and, given he went from the cold at home to Saudi and then came back to the cold, he has taken it all very well.

“He's very versatile and obviously a mile and a half (2400m) will be different but it's a lovely galloping track at Meydan and Saturday will give us a pointer for the rest of the season.”

Of Lord North Gosden added, “He was fresh going around the track this morning, taking everything in, and seems to have travelled well. He came out last year when the meeting was cancelled due to Covid but he's been in similar form at home so we thought we'd bring him out.”

“He [New treasure] travelled over well and we'll take him out on the dirt track during the week,” added Gosden. “He ran well on his first start for us in Saudi Arabia and has earned his place in the UAE Derby.”

 

Sprinters Eye Desert Riches

Edward Bethell's Moss Gill (Ire) (No Nay Never), who is preparing for the $1.5-million G1 Al Quoz Sprint, cantered on the training track on Monday morning.

“I'm very happy with the way he's travelled,” said Bethell of his 2020 G1 Nunthorpe S. third. “We were all quite concerned because he's never been further than Lingfield in his life, so to come to Dubai was quite a challenge. He's taken it all in his stride. He's eating well now and he was very happy on the track this morning.

“He just did a very steady canter and he doesn't need an awful lot of work. He takes very little training just as long as he's fresh and happy and well. That's the main thing.”

Graham Motion trainee True Valour (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) is another Al Quoz contender and worked three furlongs over the turf on Monday morning. Assistant trainer Cat McGee was on hand to observe the work. The 7-year-old was second last out in the GII Joe Hernandez S.

“He went in :38, between the cones which are set on the outside rail. He seemed to enjoy the turf. He did it within himself and he was feeling good after. I was hoping to take him on the turf again for a gallop maybe Thursday. But he will be going around the dirt track the other days.”

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Mishriff Training Well for Saudi Cup

French Group 1 winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), who ran second in the 2020 Saudi Derby in Riyadh on Feb. 29, needs a wide draw in the Feb. 20 $20-million Saudi Cup according to trainer John Gosden. The colt rebounded with a win in the Listed Newmarket S. on June 6 and won the G1 Prix du Jockey Club on July 5. His final win of the year was a victory in the G2 Prix Guillaume de Ornano at Deauville on Aug. 15 before an eighth in the G1 QIPCO Champions S. at Ascot in mid-October. The 4-year-old carries the colours of Prince Faisal and will be ridden by his retained jockey David Egan.

“He worked nicely going into it, but first time on the dirt, you never know. He did have the benefit of a wide draw last year and we were thrilled the way he ran,” Gosden told a Saudi Cup press conference. “I think he's a mile-and-a-quarter horse, very much so. He's got a great stride, great tactical speed and a powerful finish. I think that is his perfect trip. Whether we stretch him out to a mile and a half one day, I don't know.”

“This race is run on the dirt and at a very different tempo. You need a wide draw,” he said. “If it was a mile and quarter it would suit us a lot better, but it's very fast. The Americans go hard and it's not a race with any hiding places. He's had a nice down time building up to this. He's a genuine horse, he enjoys his training. He's not a horse who requires a massive amount of work, so to that extent he's the right type to get ready early in the year.”

Frankie Dettori will be aboard Global Giant (GB) (Shamardal) for Gosden in the Middle Distance Turf Cup. They were second in the Bahrain International Trophy last November.

“He came back in great order and breezed nicely this [Wednesday] morning,” Gosden added. “The horse was as frustrated as the jockey and the owner and the trainer, but he got too far back and got there too late. The wire came up a stride and a half too soon, but that's racing. He's fine, he's going for the Middle Distance. It will be a tough race. Distance-wise it's probably the top end of his range. He's got a very good chance and he's in good form right now.”

Gosden will also take another crack at the Saudi Derby and will send G3 Round Tower S. hero New Treasure (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}). The newly gelded chestnut was acquired for 90,000gns by Voute Sales on behalf of Najd Stud out of the Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale after being sold by breeder/owner/trainer Jim Bolger.

“He was in the horses-in-training sale and Jim was selling, so you have to have a sense of reality about that. He didn't go for a great deal of money,” said Gosden. “The horse came here and the owners wanted to aim him at this race. “He won a Group 3 over six furlongs on soft ground. He's not run over a mile before, but we're hopeful he'll get it. He's on a one-way ticket. He races and stays there to race with the local horses. He's very genuine and is a giver. He's a fun horse to run in the race and it a great way of going down there–a Group 3 winner and going for the Saudi Derby.”

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New Approach’s New Treasure Takes the Round Tower

In the immediate aftermath of Friday’s G3 Heider Family Stables Round Tower S. at The Curragh, there was almost an audible groan from those who failed to take note that Jim Bolger’s representative New Treasure (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) was allowed to start at 66-1 in a race that his dam had won on her debut in 2008. In the pattern races for juveniles that have taken place in Britain and Ireland since mid-June, there have been winners at 150-1, 66-1, 66-1, 33-1, 14-1 and 28-1 with the latter being the return of this stable’s Mac Swiney (Ire) by the same sire in last week’s G2 Futurity S. Coolcullen’s engine is starting to crank now and it was a case of strange science that saw a totally unexposed son of Maoineach (Congaree) so readily ignored by the punters. Fading late when seventh on debut behind TDN Rising Star Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) over seven furlongs here Aug. 9, the homebred was one of very few in the line-up equipped on pedigree to handle this heavy surface and see out the trip if it turned into a stiff test at the six-furlong trip. Those factors told at the end as he saw off the well-backed 13-8 favourite Teresa Mendoza (Ire) (Territories {Ire}) to score by a half length, with the 28-1 shot Coulthard (Ire) (Coulsty {Ire}) 1 1/4 lengths away in third.

New Treasure had been ridden forward on his introduction and paid the penalty, but the anchor was down from the break this time with Kevin Manning restraining in rear intent on saving for the finish. Travelling with ease alongside Teresa Mendoza as they sauntered through the ground at halfway, the chestnut was in front of that rival at the furlong pole, narrowly behind shortly after but back in charge as staying power came into play in the last half a furlong. Bolger’s daughter Una Manning was on hand and said, “The dam won this race first time out and Jim is delighted with him. Things just didn’t work out for him the last day when he was a bit keen first time out. We were confident that he would run a good race today. I’m not sure what the plans are, but I’m sure he’s well entered up.”

The aforementioned Maoineach was not just a one-hit wonder, following her notable debut success in this with another in the following year’s G3 Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial S. After Bolger had mated her with Sea the Stars (Ire), Teofilo (Ire), Dream Ahead and Dawn Approach (Ire), this was the first time that New Approach had entered the equation and it may be that a perfect alchemy has been discovered with her eighth foal. Armed with a yearling full-brother to the winner, the half-sister to the stakes winner and GII Jim Dandy S. third Tiz Now Tiz Then (Tiznow) descended from the prolific grade I-winning Kentucky Oaks heroine Dispute (Danzig) could yet prove herself a notable producer for her renowned breeder.

Friday, The Curragh, Ireland
HEIDER FAMILY STABLES ROUND TOWER S.-G3, €50,000, Curragh, 8-28, 2yo, 6fT, 1:16.93, hy.
1–NEW TREASURE (IRE), 131, c, 2, by New Approach (Ire)
     1st Dam: Maoineach (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Ire at 5-6 1/2f, MGSW-Ire, $140,963), by Congaree
     2nd Dam: Trepidation, by Seeking the Gold
     3rd Dam: Troubling, by Storm Cat
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Mrs J S Bolger; B/T-Jim Bolger (IRE); J-Kevin Manning. €30,000. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $35,467. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Teresa Mendoza (Ire), 128, f, 2, Territories (Ire)–Ceoldrama, by Mr. Greeley. O-Ecurie Ama.Zing Team; B-Ennistown Stud (IRE); T-Ken Condon. €10,000.
3–Coulthard (Ire), 131, c, 2, Coulsty (Ire)–Iamnoangel (Ire), by Dark Angel (Ire). (€2,000 RNA Ylg ’19 TIRSEP; 27,000gns 2yo ’20 TTIGOR). O-Michael O’Callaghan; B-J Waldron & J Barton (IRE); T-Michael O’Callaghan. €5,000.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, 4 1/4. Odds: 66.00, 1.63, 28.00.
Also Ran: Sweet Gardenia (GB), Coill Avon (Ire), Sloane Peterson (Ire), Chief Little Hawk, Giorgio Vasari (Ire). Scratched: All Things Bright (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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