International racing expert Ron Wood looks for the best bets on the Dubai World Cup trials card at Meydan
The dust has barely settled on last week’s thrilling Saudi Cup card but the international racing calendar rolls on – and Dubai is where it’s at this weekend, with Meydan playing host to its annual Super Saturday meeting.
This is the traditional trials day for the World Cup card. As it turned out, there was no better prep at last year’s meeting than from Laurel River, who ran away with the Burj Nahar before winning Dubai’s main prize – and his full-brother Castlewarden has fair claims of keeping this G3 prize in the family.
This race has an open feel to it. Imperial Emperor would have been a short-priced favourite, but his connections have opted to run him in the ten-furlong race later on the card, and none of these remaining seem to have the quality of Laurel River.
Castlewarden, though, is still potentially good enough to claim the spoils. Like Laurel River, this horse started off in the US – and he races for the same connections, being stabled with the UAE’s champion trainer Bhupat Seemar and racing for owners Juddmonte.
While it's true to say Castlewarden doesn’t bring in anything like the same level of form as his superstar sibling, he’s had just five starts and shaped well when third on his recent Dubai debut.
That was just a handicap, but it was a good race for the class. Note that runner-up El Nasseeb runs in the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal later in the day and the fourth horse, Mubakker, is another Burj Nahar contender (but he’s drawn wider than Castlewarden).
The selection had been off for eight months prior to his recent comeback and he was fresh, taking a keen hold out wide. There should be plenty of improvement to come – and keep in mind that Laurel River himself was beaten in similar fashion on his UAE debut.
The final point to make is that Castlewarden went without his usual headgear last time. Both his wins in the States were gained in blinkers, which are now refitted; Laurel River wears the same headgear.
I make Castlewarden a 6-1 chance, so anything around that price or bigger would be fair enough.
my tissues prices, four of the eight Thoroughbred races feature odds-on shots, namely Mountain Breeze (1-16 tissue) in the Jumeirah 1,000 Guineas, West Acre (4-7) in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, Tuz (4-6) in the Mahab Al Shimaal and Ruling Court (4-7) in the Jumeirah 2,000 Guineas.
Do keep an eye on the available prices when it comes to West Acre. He opened up odds against – and would be worth an interest at such prices – with the international books, before soon being backed in.
It will also be interesting to see how Ruling Court goes in the market on his reappearance against his race-fit stablemate Hallasan. Some Charlie Appleby horses have needed their first runs this season, so Ruling Court could be an uneasy favourite, but regardless, I expect him to win.
I don’t want to oppose Mountain Breeze (she’ll have to fall over to lose) or Tuz (he’s been unbeatable around Meydan for over a year), so all of these races are being left alone for the purposes of a selection here unless you like betting such short prices at Meydan.
But that still leaves us with three more races to have a go at and Nations Pride should have too much for his rivals in the G2 Singspiel Stakes, which has been moved from its previous February slot to bolster the Super Saturday card. This can act as a stepping stone to the Dubai Turf.
Nations Pride has been below form on his last couple of starts since winning the Arlington Million (held at Colonial Downs) but a flop in Bahrain is easily enough excused seeing as he disappointed in the same race the year before before bouncing back.
I’m also not holding a sub-par run at Gulfstream Park in January against him because that's not an easy track to get to grips with and it was too sharp a test for him.
This race is over the same trip as the Gulfstream contest, but Meydan is a much bigger, more galloping circuit than the tight Florida venue, and from three previous starts around here, Nations Pride has won twice and finished third in a Dubai Turf.
The addition of cheekpieces may be another red flag, but William Buick still prefers him to the same stable’s First Conquest, who has won twice at Meydan this term. Nations Pride is clear of this field on his best and well worth supporting.
The following G2 Al Maktoum Classic is a last opportunity for horses to stake their World Cup claims, although it’s unlikely any of these will be troubling the judge in the big one. The aforementioned Imperial Emperor is my favourite, but he has a wide draw and a slightly longer trip compared to last time - to deal with. Instead, at a bigger price, I’ll chance Majestic Pride for Simon & Ed Crisford.
This horse was too headstrong to fulfil his potential on turf for Charlie Appleby, but it looks like dirt racing is much better for his free-going style and set to bring out the best in him.
His recent third in the G3 Jebel Ali Mile was certainly encouraging, as he finished off up the hill like one who still has more to give, and the extra couple of furlongs of the Al Maktoum Classic should help.
Majestic Pride is a half-brother to Farhh, who won the Champion Stakes over ten furlongs at Ascot, and another of his siblings, Racing History, won a G3 over the same trip. Note the dam won two G1s over 12 furlongs.
Mickael Barzalona taking over on the Crisford runner is another positive, as he's a suitably pro-active jockey when riding on the Meydan dirt.
My final selection is the Charlie Appleby-trained Arabian Crown, who is on the comeback trail in the G2 Dubai City of Gold, a warm-up race for the G1 Sheema Classic.
Arabian Crown was made favourite for last year’s Derby after winning the G3 Classic Trial at Sandown in the spring, but he didn’t make Epsom and hasn’t been seen since
Buick prefers the more recent level of the same stable’s Silver Knott, who won three G2s in the US last season. But that’s not form to invest in as he was well placed to win some weak races, so I reckon Appleby’s stable jockey might be on the wrong one this time.
Of course, Arabian Crown may need the run, but he potentially has more quality than Silver Knott and I’m happy to buy into him as the second favourite.
• Visit the Dubai Racing Club website
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