Secret Ambition (GB) | Horse Racing Free Tips

The likely fields for the nine group races (one Arabian and eight Thoroughbred) of the $30.5-million Dubai World Cup night card on Mar. 26, were revealed on Thursday. A total of 32 Group/Grade 1 winners will take part in the Meydan showpiece.

Todd Pletcher trainee Life Is Good (Into Mischief), a winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S., anchors the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airlines. Fellow Americans joining him in the field are Grade I winners Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow)-who already sports a win over the surface in the G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 earlier this winter for Doug O'Neill, and Country Grammer (Tonalist), while the multiple Grade I-placed Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) also takes part. The latter pair were second and third in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup on Feb. 26, and are trained by Bob Baffert and Steve Asmussen, respectively. Last year's Dubai World Cup second and third, Chuwa Wizard (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) and Godolpin's Magny Cours (Medaglia d'Oro) have also signed on. Another in the royal blue is Group 2 winner Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) from the yard of Saeed bin Suroor. Hypothetical (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), the winner of the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 at the beginning of the month and the second-place finisher Remorse (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), are also part of the field.

A field of 14 lines up in the $6-million Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, with a pair of Japanese Group 1 winner-Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) representing the Land of the Rising Sun. Godolphin's GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) for Charlie Appleby and G1 Coronation Cup victor Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) have also thrown their hats in the ring. Others in the Sheema Classic are William Haggas's Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) and Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), while Owen Burrows will saddle G2 Dubai City Of Gold scorer Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

John and Thady Gosden's Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will defend his title in the 1800-metre $5-million G1 Dubai Turf Sponsored By DP World, but multiple Group 1 winner Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) and a trio of Japanese hopefuls–Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}), Vin De Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn})–will make his task difficult.

In the $2-million 1200-metre G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored By Atlantis Dubai, American Grade I winners Dr. Schivel (VIolence) and Drain The Clock (Maclean's Music) lock horns with the Japanese duo of Chain Of Love (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) and Red Le Zele (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}). Another Japanese entrant, Copano Kicking (Sprint At Last), who ran fifth in the 2021 Golden Shaheen, has been withdrawn from consideration due to an injury.

On turf, the 1200-metre $1,500,000 G1 Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments sees three Charlie Appleby Godolphin colourbearers-Group 1 winner Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Man Of Promise (Into Mischief) and Group 2 winner Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) go up against European Group 1 winners Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal) and A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}).

Classic hopefuls square off in the $1-million 1900-metre G2 UAE Derby Sponsored By Irwin, and Bob Baffert's GI Del Mar Futurity and G3 Saudi Derby victor Pinehurst (Twirling Candy) heads the field, which also includes the Saudi Derby runner-up Sekifu (Jpn) (Henny Hughes). The 1600-metre $1-million G2 Godolphin Mile Sponsored By Nakheel features last year's winner Secret Ambition (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who is aiming to defend his title. The longest race on the card, is the 3200-metre $1-million G2 Dubai Gold Cup Sponsored By Al Tayer Motors on grass. Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi saddles G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. winner Stay Foolish (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}), who will face the undefeated G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy winner Manobo (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby.

“We are delighted with the strength of the entries for the 26th Dubai World Cup meeting,” said Major General Mohammed Essa Al Adhab, General Manager of Dubai Racing Club. “We have strength and depth across all nine races and it's wonderful to have so many different countries represented.

“We are also extremely happy to be able to welcome back a capacity crowd for the first time since 2019 and we hope that everyone will enjoy a superb evening of racing.”

The G1 Kahayla Classic for Arabians will begin at 3:45 p.m. local time, and the Dubai World Cup will take place at 8:30 p.m. Meydan Racecourse opens at 12 p.m., and tickets are available on the Dubai Racing Club website.

The post Dubai World Cup Night Card Attracts 32 Group 1 Winners appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival lasts from Jan. 14-Mar. 5, Super Saturday and begins on Friday. The 19th edition of the DWCC features enhanced purses and a new group of turf races, the Jumeirah Series. Anchoring the first seven-race card-six Thoroughbred and one Arabian race–is the $250,000 G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 Presented by Nakheel, which attracted a field of 14.

Meydan veterans abound in the 1600-metre dirt contest, with 2021 G2 Godolphin Mile hero Secret Ambition (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) signed on, one of five for trainer Bhupat Seemar. Breaking from stall five, the 9-year-old entire hasn't been seen in action since his Dubai World Cup night heroics.

“Secret Ambition has a good draw [stall five], is fit, healthy, and good to go,” said Seemar, who also saddles dual Meydan winner Imperial Empire (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), 2020 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 victor Kimbear (Temple City), the two-for-two Kafoo (Curlin) and 2021 Godolphin Mile third Avant Garde (Tonalist). “Kafoo is drawn 10 but is unbeaten this season. He's doing everything right. I only hope inexperience doesn't catch him because he's definitely got the talent to be up there to compete against this class of horses.

“Imperial Empire is a Dubawi and is a half-brother to a Group 1 winner, so hopefully he should show up. Kimbear ran a good race on his debut for us but unfortunately he's drawn a bit on the outside [stall 11], while Avant Garde is doing really well. This is his minimum trip, he would rather go over a mile and quarter, but it's a good place to start him.”

Others signed on are last year's G1 Dubai World Cup fourth-place finisher Hypothetical (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and the 2021 G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 and G1 Al Matoum Challenge Round 3 scorer Salute the Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}). The 2019 G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 winner Capezzano (Bernardini) is also back for more, as is four-time Meydan dirt lover and Doug Watson trainee Thegreatcollection (Saint Anddan).

Said Watson, who also sends out Midnight Sands (Speightstown) and Golden Goal (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), “They're all doing well at home. We were a bit disappointed with Midnight Sands last time [when unplaced in the Listed Dubai Creek Mile on Dec. 16] but it was his first run after a long lay-off. He's been training well since.

“Thegreatcollection and Golden Goal are both in great shape. They both ran well recently after being off for the track for eight to nine months. It looks like they've come on so we're hoping they all run well.”

The Grass is Greener

Just after the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 is the G2 Cape Verdi, also over a mile, for fillies and mares on grass. The royal blue silks of Godolphin have been carried to victory in the race nine times already, and trainer Saeed bin Suroor has a pair entered, among them Soft Whisper (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas victress of last year. Although off the board in a Riyadh after her Guineas win in January, she failed to see out the 1900 metres of the G2 UAE Derby on dirt in March. Returned to the UK, she ran out a 1 3/4-length winner in the Listed Rosemary S. at Newmarket in September going this trip, but gave way and finished ninth in the 2000-metre G3 Pride S. there on Oct. 8.

“She ran well last year, here in Dubai and also when we took her back to England,” said bin Suroor. “She won listed races on both dirt and turf. This looks like it is the right race to start her four-year-old campaign as she has been pleasing us at home.”

Bearing the second-string white cap is Stunning Beauty (Ire) (Shamardal), who was third after briefly leading in a Goodwood conditions race in August.

“Stunning Beauty showed better form in the UK last season and has been going well at home, so I'm hoping for a nice performance over a trip that suits,” said Bin Suroor.

Fellow Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby also has a contender in the lightly raced Nov. 13 Wolverhampton synthetic conditions scorer Wedding Dance (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

Successful in the past three renewals, Appleby said, “Wedding Dance improved from her first to second run last season, winning nicely at Wolverhampton on the latter occasion.

“The plan was always to bring her out to Dubai afterwards and we have been pleased with the way she has been training out here. She will potentially come forward for this, but we feel that she is ready to have a run and should be competitive.”

Mnasek (Empire Maker) appears to be the main threat to shake up the Godolphin domination. Raced exclusively at Meydan for her five starts to date, she was a distant second to Soft Whisper after a slow break in the 1900m UAE 1000 Guineas, but thrived in the G3 UAE Oaks last February. Only ninth in the colts' equivalent on Dubai World Cup night, she returned on Nov. 18 to run second in a rated conditions heat, but this will be her turf bow.

Turf Classic Pointers

Billed as turf prep races for the new $300,000 1400-metre grassy Ras Al Khor on Super Saturday, Mar. 5, the Jumeirah Series also begins on Friday with the 1400-metre Jumeirah Classic Trial Presented by Palm Jumeirah. Saeed bin Suroor fields Home City (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) with Frankie Dettori in the irons with an eye to the European Classics. The colt ran second in a nursery handicap at Goodwod in October and is one of two in the race for Godolphin, with Charlie Appleby's Sovereign Prince (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) a winner over this trip at Epsom on Sept. 26. The highest rated horse in the eight-strong race is Alice Haynes's Mr Professor (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}), who found soft going to his liking in the Listed Silver Tankard S. at Pontefract on Oct. 18.

Meydan also hosts the Listed Dubai Racing Club Classic Presented by the View at the Palm over 2410 metres on turf and Meydan's nightcap-the Listed Dubai Dash over the minimum trip, also on turf. Naturally, Godolphin holds a strong hand in the former, with bin Suroor's G1 Grosser Preis von Baden third Passion and Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Appleby's Listed Blue Riband Trial victor Wirko (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) subscribed among a quintet of royal blue representatives.

Leading on ratings in the turf sprint is Motafaawit (Ire) (Intikhab), one of five for the late Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell operation. The gelding was fifth most recently in the Mar. 27 G1 Al Quoz Sprint. He locks horns with Listed Dubai Sprint hero Man of Promise (Into Mischief) from the Appleby yard.

Click here to view the group fields.

The post Curtain Rises on Dubai World Cup Carnival appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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