Liam’s Legend and Quip descend on Dubai for World Cup Carnival

Two of the higher-profile horses to come over for the Dubai World Cup Carnival have arrived safely and soundly, according to their new conditioner, Doug Watson.

Classics candidate and eye-catching 1800m Keeneland 2-year-old winner Liam’s Legend and multiple Grade 2 winner Quip are currently at Meydan after clearing quarantine and will soon head over to Watson’s Red Stables to begin serious training.

“We started tack-walking them on Monday and after Christmas, we’ll take them out and jog them (at Red Stables),” Watson said.

“They looked great and seemed to have travelled really well. In about five more days, they’ll start their training, but they have been jogging a little around the quarantine.”

A private purchase by Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, G1-placed Quip (by Distorted Humor) landed the 2019 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and was subsequently a good second in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2).

Liam’s Legend has made just two starts, but the 2-year-old son of Liam’s Map impressed new owner Khalid Bin Mishref enough for him to shell out $325,000 for the grey colt at Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Both were previously trained by one of the America’s ascending conditioners, Rodolphe Brisset.

Quip is possible to make the $450,000 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (G2) on Feb. 7 or $200,000 Firebreak Stakes (G3) on Feb. 13. Liam’s Legend is naturally pointing toward the $4.3 million 3-year-old programme at Meydan, with a possible launch in the $250,000 UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) on Feb.6.

Meanwhile, Legendary Lunch will look to fill that void in the meantime. The chestnut has been seen exercising over Meydan’s dirt track over the last two weeks, including a breeze under jockey Adrie de Vries on Tuesday morning.

The two-time Listed-winning son of Dragon Pulse has not raced since the last day of the UAE season in April, when finishing off the board in a dirt handicap.

“Legendary Lunch is getting close to a race,” Fawzi Nass said. Hopefully things will go well and he will run on the first day of the Carnival. If not, we’ll look at the second day (Jan. 9).”

Races possible for the charge include the 1000m handicap for horses rated 90-105 on Jan. 2 and 1200m handicap on Jan. 9 for 90+.

Last season, Legendary Lunch won Abu Dhabi’s 1400m (turf) HH The President Cup (Listed) in fine fashion.

The Dubai World Cup Carnival, worth $12.74 m in prize money across 10 race meetings, runs from January to March every year and is a season of high-class international race days contested by the most high-profile owners, trainers, horses and jockeys in the world. It runs alongside the domestic Racing at Meydan season.

The Dubai World Cup Carnival leads to the Dubai World Cup day, the richest day of racing in the world.

A dress rehearsal for the $35 million Dubai World Cup meeting—the world’s richest race day—Super Saturday will feature seven course and distance preps.

The 2019 renewal saw horses from Australia, Denmark, France, Ireland, South Korea, Sweden, Turkey, UK and US ship in to win or place in its races.

Super Saturday allows trainers to put the finishing touches to their equine stars before appearing on racing’s biggest stage.

An historic 25th edition of Dubai World Cup day will be staged three weeks after the Dubai World Cup Carnival on March 28 and is topped by the world’s richest race, the $12 million Dubai World Cup sponsored by the Emirates Airline (Group 1).

The $350,000 Dubai City of Gold (Group 2) over 2410m on turf, which has produced Dubai World Cup night winners the past two seasons, will receive a $50,000 increase in purse, which raises Super Saturday to $2.7 million in total prize money.