Super Saturday duels to fuel Dubai World Cup dreams
While not the highest-rated, Nasir Askar’s Military Law is certainly going to be the market favourite after his game runner-up effort to Benbatl in Round 2 last month.
The centrepiece of the evening is the Group 1 $600,000 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3, which has drawn a field of eight looking to earn spots in the gate of the Group 1 $12 million Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline.
While not the highest-rated, Nasir Askar’s Military Law is certainly going to be the market favourite after his game runner-up effort to Benbatl in Round 2 last month. A good-looking son of Dubawi, the Musabbeh Al Mheiri trainee once again gets the services of Antonio Fresu and drew well in the two-hole.
Leading the ratings is multiple USA G2 winner Quip, who makes his second start locally for trainer Doug Watson and will stretch out from a lacklustre run in the Firebreak (G3) on Feb. 13. Owned by Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, he will be ridden by Pat Dobbs from post six and his best likely makes him the horse to beat here—but that is far from a guarantee.
Satish Seemar starts a pair of Argentine G1 winners in Saltarin Dubai (Richard Mullen, rail), and Roman Rosso (Tadhg O’Shea, post seven) who must both be respected. Both will likely be pace factors in a race that will likely be won or lost on the first two sectionals.
Last-out Jebel Ali Stakes (Listed) winner Mark of Approval (Pat Cosgrave, post five) takes a dip into the deep end, Matterhorn (Mickael Barzalona, post three) tries to improve upon his second in the Firebreak, blaze-faced Desert Fire (Christophe Soumillon, post four) attempts to heat up on the dirt for Godolphin and 2019 runner-up New Trails (Connor Beasley, post eight) will look to reverse his downhill form.
The five-year-old Cape Cross entire beat subsequent G3 winner Dubai Warrior in a Polytrack handicap at Chelmsford City, UK, in September and makes his dirt debut following two turf handicap outings at the Carnival so far.
Suroor said: “Desert Fire tries hard in his races, although this will be his first time racing on the dirt. He has been working well and won nicely on the All-Weather last season, when he gave weight to a good horse. We wanted to give him a chance on the dirt to see how he gets on.”
Super Saturday’s other G1 feature is Group 1 $400,000 Jebel Hatta (1800mT) sponsored by Emirates Airline
The first Group 1 of the DWC Carnival for Thoroughbreds is a course and distance prep for the $6 million Dubai Turf sponsored by DP World (G1), the Jebel Hatta.
A baker’s dozen goes to post with a heavy favourite in Charlie Appleby-conditioned G1 winner Barney Roy, who was a super-impressive victor of the Al Rashidiya (G2) on Jan. 30 over this trip. He leads the ratings at 115, but must overcome post 12 under William Buick.
Second to him that day was Dream Castle, who won this event smartly last year under Christophe Soumillon for trainer Suroor. He has drawn post 10 and must navigate a good trip in order to best his aforementioned conqueror. The son of Frankel exits a good third in the Zabeel Mile (G2) and wheels back on shorter rest than usual.
Others to watch in here are Magic Lily, who the same team as Barney Roy, who seeks her third consecutive Group victory of the DWC Carnival, but takes on the big boys—literally—this time, as well as Group 3-winning mare Surrounding from the ever-capable Mick Halford yard. Magic Lily and Barzalona—who has been lethal when teaming up with Appleby this season—breaks from post eight, while Irish-based Surrounding is directly to her inside in seven with Tadhg O’Shea.
Four Godolphin contenders for the G2 Dubai City Of Gold Sponsored By Emirates SkyCargo over a mile and a half on turf include Loxley (Appleby/ Barzalona) and Mountain Hunter (Suroor/Pat Cosgrave).
A nose separated the duo in a Newmarket Listed race over the same distance in September, when Loxley came out on top, although Mountain Hunter reversed the form when they finished third and fourth behind Barney Roy in the G2 Al Rashidiya.
Appleby is also responsible for Dubai City Of Gold runners First Nation (William Buick), who has finished fourth in turf handicaps at the Carnival on all three of his starts this year, and last season’s G1 Grand Prix de Paris third Jalmoud (James Doyle).
Appleby said: “First Nation is very consistent and has run some solid races at the Carnival without winning. He comes into this race in rude health. On the book, Jalmoud and Loxley have better form, but William Buick picked First Nation as he has been so consistent this year.”
