Uruguayan star Ajuste Fiscal tops a seemingly strong contingent brought by Dubai World Cup Carnival-winning conditioner Antonio Cintra when he starts in Thursday's Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 at Meydan Racecourse.
Owned by Stud La Pomme, the apple of the Cintra operation enters off a Listed victory over this distance on grass in September, but is proven at the G1 level in the past on dirt, including resounding victories in the Gran Premio Pedro Ramirez over 12 furlongs, Gran Premio Jockey Club over 10 furlongs and Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos over one mile.
Ajuste Fiscal is sired by the Illinois-bred multiple Grade 3 winner Ioya Bigtime (Dynaformer).
It would, of course, not be a surprise to see a Uruguayan horse succeed in Dubai, thanks to the exploits of the great Invasor.
“It's a pleasure to be a part of this event again and I'm really happy to be back here,” said Cintra, who won the 2006 Al Shindagha Sprint with Heart Alone. “Ajuste Fiscal is the best horse that I brought. He's a very good horse on dirt and the distance (one mile) is a little bit short for him, but it's a good (place) to start. The plan is the second and third rounds of the Maktoum (Challenge). He is the top horse, but he will get very tough races–but I believe he can get an invitation for the World Cup.”
Cintra will be busy on opening night of the Carnival, also saddling Stud Crespi's 14-time winner Almoradi, a G1-placed multiple G3 winner, in the Al Fahidi Fort (G2) over seven furlongs on turf, as well as Stud Guara del Sur's exciting 4-for-4 sprinter Upper Class in the Dubawi (G3). A Listed winner, the latter must step up considerably, but has done little wrong thus far and appears a strong finisher who will enjoy a step back up to six furlongs.
Cintra: “(Almoradi) is a good horse on dirt and turf and we planned to run him on dirt, but he wasn't looking good on this kind of dirt. It was a little soft for him, so we're trying to turf. Upper Class is unbeaten and is a very good sprinter. He's three years old and gets two kilos. Hopefully he'll run very well. He runs just on dirt, but the pedigree is a turf horse. We'll start on dirt with him.”
The post Uruguayan Star Ajuste Fiscal Seeking Dubai World Cup Invite, Tops Thursday’s Al Maktoum Challenge appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
