JAPAN: Transcend presses Dubai claims

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SINGAPORE: Better Than Ever on course for Dubai

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Snow Fairy moving closer to Dubai Carnival

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Snow Fairy not certain to head out to Dubai

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The Dubai Carnival 2011

Carnival’ is certainly the most appropriate word to use to describe Dubai’s racing scene at the moment, writes Ross Birkett from Meydan.

As many of the best racehorses from around the globe gather to do battle at Meydan over ten weeks of world-class racing, the atmosphere here is one of excitement, and anticipation, and it gives you a real feeling that you are at the centre of it all with the eyes of the planet on you.

The Dubai Racing Carnival couldn’t have got off to a better start for us Brits last Thursday as the ultra-tough Steele Tango flew home with a wet sail to land the last race. The win was a huge credit to his trainer Roger Teale, who you are generally more likely to see at Lingfield than Longchamp.

One talented horse like Steele Tango is all a small trainer needs to make a name for himself and Teale has found that star. Last seen when gamely finishing second to Credit Swap in the Cambridgeshire, I’m expecting the six year old to step out of handicap company and maybe nick a Group race before the Carnival comes to an end.

Despite a slightly disappointing season on British shores, Godolphin notched a quickfire double on ‘home’ territory. Ryan Moore gave Rock N Roll Ransom a peach of a ride to win the 1m3f handicap, and what made the success more interesting was the breeding of the gelding – he is the son of one of my favourite mares: Zee Zee Top. Some of you may remember her as a real hardy performer for Sir Michael Stoute and she put up her best display when winning the Prix De l’Opera in 2003.

With all the various nationalities bouncing around the place, there’s a real cosmopolitan feel to the track and the hotel where everyone stays. My personal highlight has been watching crack French jockey Christophe Soumillon ride out every morning for Mike De Kock, but also interesting are the lesser known faces that you encounter.

I was chatting to a Brazilian lad who has travelled over with Luca Cumani’s string and it was insightful to hear his views on Man Of Iron. The horse won the Breeders’ Cup Marathon in 2009 for Aiden O’Brien and was subsequently bought by a syndicate for a hefty sum. He’s failed to earn back even a fraction of that price tag and it must be disappointing for his connections and trainer Cumani.

The Brazilian said that the horse still shows huge ability on the gallops in the morning and every time he goes to the races they expect him to win. It’s amazing then to see him finishing out the back all the time. Another snippet of info that I gathered was that his stablemate, Drunken Sailor, has acclimatised very well since travelling over. Watch out for him in the coming weeks.

The news came through this week that Aiden O’Brien has put aside his problems with Godolphin to send horses over to race in Dubai for the first time in six years. Cape Blanco has been entered for the World Cup in March and will take a hell of a lot of beating if he turns up. I bumped into a lad who has been working at Ballydoyle and was in the Emirates for a holiday.

He said the horse to watch out for in 2011 was Apache. The three year old finished second on his only outing to date but those in the know say that this huge animal will be better with time and his entries, which include the Derby and Guineas, support these thoughts.

For all Dubai can throw money at the racing, they cannot boast the one thing that British racing can – history and tradition.
This was demonstrated nowhere better than at Kempton on Saturday when Kauto Star tried to rewrite the record books by becoming the first horse to win the King George for a fifth time. It was a sad sight to see him fail in the task but his replacement looks like he could be a bit special too – Long Run.

We’ve all read the hype that has followed this horse since he was bought from France last season but now he is finally living up to it. It remains to be seen whether he is tough and strong enough to win a Gold Cup but you wouldn’t bet against it judging by the performance he put up at the Sunbury venue.

The race also, for me, marked a change in the order of top-level steeple chasing. The heavyweight domination of Kauto and Denman will probably never be seen again and a new order has arisen, led by Long Run and Imperial Commander.

- Ross

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Riggins to fly flag for rookie Walker in Dubai

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South American stars bought to race in Dubai

The growing internationalization of the sport of horse racing could not be better demonstrated than by the players involved in two separate deals to bring star Argentinean racehorses, Anaerobio and Paulinho, to Dubai in good time for them to acclimatize ahead of targets at the World Cup meeting in March next year.

With South America having upset the fixed odds by producing this year’s World Cup winner Gloria de Campeao and another recent World Cup winner Invasor, bloodstock agents, trainers and owners now see countries like Brazil and Argentina as potential harvesting grounds for high class racehorses that can be acquired at reasonable prices.

Asiatic Boy, another successful Argentine horse who won the UAE Derby, is the example being cited for the purchase by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum of this year’s Group 1 Gran Premio Jockey Club winner Anaerobio, who will now join Dubai-based South African Mike de Kock and be prepared for a crack at some of the top prizes at the forthcoming festival meetings.

In October, Paulinho arrived in Dubai as the property of new owner Ruslan Bifov, a Russian multi-millionaire, having left Argentina unbeaten as a juvenile where his wins included the Group 1 Gran Premio Estrellas. Herman Brown, another Dubai-based South African trainer, has been given charge of the three-year-old colt who won has won his three career starts by an aggregate of 25 lengths.

In recent seasons horses have arrived for the Dubai World Cup meting and the Carnival fixtures that lead up to the main event, from all corners of the globe. Runners from the Far East are a regular sight, there have been Indian-trained winners, of course the major European racing nations send plenty of ammunition to try and pillage the top prizes, whilst challengers from the US and Australia (with Australia horse racing fans always keen to get involved) also join the party making the fixture a truly global affair.

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Bell Looks To Dubai First for Wigmore Hall

Posted by Leigh on November 30, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

Trainer Michael Bell is planning an challenging campaign with international flavour for three year old impressive charge Wigmore Hall to commence with an attempt at glory in the Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March.

Golfwise Extra: Friday's Dubai World Championship news and advice

 By Jeremy Chapman 1:53PM 26 NOV 2010 ENGLAND may be 3-1 to win the first Test in Oz but over in Dubai they're hot favourites to win the final event of the 2010 European Tour with Hong Kong hero Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher, world No. 1 Lee Westwood and Ryder Cup reject Paul Casey occupying the first four places on the World Championship leaderboard.

Admittedly, Casey is only sharing fourth place with Martin Kaymer, the German destined to win the Race To Dubai and with it the No. 1 ranking in Europe on Sunday, and Thai ace Thongchai Jaidee, but it still represents a stranglehold on this mega-bucks competition at the Earth course at Jumeirah, a 7,675-yard patch of real estate which the big boys are tearing up.

In round two it was Wentworth bomber Fisher with the low round of the week, an eight-under-par 64, who stole the show but Poulter and defending champion Westwood, playing together in an explosive pairing which produced seven birdies in the first four holes, were not far behind and it is Westwood who has regained his place as tournament favourite at a general 3-1 after his 67.

He's one behind Poulter and Fisher but his victory on the same course by six big shots 12 months ago plus, of course, his elevation to the top spot on the world rankings have convinced layers to make him a narrow market leader ahead of 7-2 Poulter, with Fisher and Kaymer bracketed at 13-2 in third place and Casey, who moved up with a 67, at 8-1 and very much a threat on a course he had not seen until this week and didn't think he was going to like.

First-day leader Robert Karlsson shot ten more than his opening salvo of 65 and is now five behind but just as one RPSPORT recommendation fades, another one, Fisher, and the chief one at that, has flashed into a share of the lead, so there is no need to put up alternatives at this stage.

Even so, if the winner comes from outside the top five in the betting, it will come as a major surprise as they not only represent the cream of European golf, they also represent the cream of world golf these days as it is a long time since Tiger or Lefty made much of an impression. Once in this position, they are unlikely to throw it away. Poulter, for instance, has not had a bogey in 36 holes and last week's victory has only served to bolster a confidence that has never really needed bolstering.

True, Westwood made a horlicks of the par-five 14th, taking four more to get down and duffing a pitch after two massive blows to within 35 yards of the flag, and also missed a tiny putt on the front nine that stopped his gallop, but it has to be remembered that he has played very little competitive golf in the past three months because of his calf problem.

With Kaymer extending his Race To Dubai lead over McDowell to eight shots - G-Mac falling back to a 73 after a strong start - they might just as well hand the trophy to the German right now. Those who got on at 15-2 at the start of the year, form an orderly queue at the payout window. Kaymer could easily win the Race, plus the Championship, plus the world No. 1 ranking from a perfect position two off the pace.

Best prices: 3 Westwood, 7-2 Poulter, 13-2 Kaymer, Fisher, 8 Casey, 20 F Molinari, 25 Jaidee, 40 Jimenez, Quiros, 50 Karlsson, Noh, 66 bar

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Dubai Majesty Scores Sprinters Throne

Posted by Leigh on November 5, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

The Bret Calhoun trained Dubai Majesty displayed determination in a strong performance over her challengers in the Grade One Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs.

Killavullan Stakes Victory for Dubai Prince

Posted by Leigh on October 25, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

In an impressive display, the Dermot Weld trained Dubai Prince was comfortable victor of the Group Three JRA Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown on Monday.