Godolphin's Real World is just one of several stars on the third evening of the Dubai World Cup Carnival on Friday, Jan. 28. The card features Group 2 and four Listed races.
Saeed Bin Suroor's 5-year-old heads a strong field for the Group 2 Zabeel Mile over a mile on turf. Beaten in four starts on dirt here last season, the son of Dark Angel was a revelation when returning to Europe, winning four races on the bounce, culminating in the Gr2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein at Paris Longchamp in October.
“He's a different horse to the one we saw finishing placed three times last Carnival,” said Bin Suroor, who won the Zabeel Mile in 2008 with Third Set and 2012 with Do It All. “He really strengthened up and matured over the summer, progressing from handicaps to Group company. He's been off the track since October, but we always planned to start him here, before looking at the Neom Turf Cup or the Saudi Cup. The G1 Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday could also be an option.”
Real World, the mount of Frankie Dettori, is joined in the race by two other Godolphin trainees; Path Of Thunder and One Ruler, both trained by Charlie Appleby, who has won this race five times.
They finished first and sixth in the Zabeel Trophy three weeks ago and Appleby is confident of another big run from Path Of Thunder, saying: “He kicked off his Carnival by winning a Conditions race over a mile, so now he's forced himself into Group company. He should be competitive in the Zabeel Mile.”
Of One Ruler, whose classy European form saw him finish sixth in the Derby at Epsom, Appleby said: “He had an interrupted run when finishing sixth [behind Path Of Thunder], but he's come out of the race well.”
First Classic of season
The card also features the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas, in which the unbeaten Shahama has scared off much of the opposition. Trained by Fawzi Nass for owner KHK Racing, the daughter of Munnings overcame a muddy track in the Guineas Trial on New Year's Day to win by 2 1/2 lengths and looks hard to catch here.
However, Swedish-based Irish trainer Kahlil De Burca sends out his highly-regarded Uchcaihshravas, winner of her only start to date at Bro Park in Stockholm, Sweden.
“Fawzi's filly will be hard to beat, but we think our filly is special,” said De Burca, who will be saddling just his second runner in Dubai. “There isn't much between them on the times of the races they've won.”
Race eight, the Listed Dubai Sprint over six furlongs on the straight track, looks like one of the toughest races of the night for Pick Six players.
It features a raider from Australia, with Adelaide-based Will Clarken sending runners to the UAE for the first time. He saddles Parsifal here, who will be ridden by Caitlin Jones, seven races after she partners He's A Balter for the same trainer in the opening six-furlong Emaar Dubai Sprint Consolation race.
Among Parsifal's rivals is Man Of Promise, winner of this race a year ago for Appleby, who also runs G3 scorer Lazuli.
“He missed his intended start a couple of weeks ago after spiking a temperature”, said Appleby of Man Of Promise. “I didn't want to run him at less than 100 percent as he's a horse we think can be competitive at the Carnival. He's back on song now.”
On Lazuli, last seen finishing seventh in the G3 Troy Stakes at Saratoga in New York, he added: “Lazuli has a proper sprint profile. We're starting him over six on Friday to see whether he can book himself a slot in Saudi or go for one of the later sprints in Dubai.”
Competitive renewal of Zabeel Turf
The 1 1/4-mile Listed Zabeel Turf, race five, looks very competitive and features G3 Dubai Millennium Stakes winner Star Safari for Appleby. The 6-year-old warmed up for this assignment with a good second over 1 1/2 miles to Dubai Future in the Listed DRC Classic two weeks ago and will be happier back in distance.
The card is completed by two more dirt races. The seven-furlong Downtown Dubai Cup looks like a good opportunity for Doug Watson's Mubakker to follow up his six-furlong win here last month, while recent course winner Law Of Peace looks to have strong claims in the Graduate Stakes.
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