Heavy Metal ready to rock as Royal Marine returns in Guineas Trial

Heavy Metal has the chance to emulate Le Bernardin as the only previous dual winner of the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge first round (4.50), the feature race on the second night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan.

Twelve months ago Heavy Metal thumped Thunder Snow, who subsequently gained revenge in the second round and then went on to win the Dubai World Cup.

Heavy Metal was a winner himself on World Cup night when making all in the Godolphin Mile and has his first start since as he aims to become just the second nine-year-old to win this contest after Barbecue Eddie in 2013.

Saddled last season by Salem Bin Ghadayer, who is serving a 12-month ban, Heavy Metal is now in the care of his former assistant Sandeep Jadhav and seeks a ninth success on the Meydan dirt and eighth over course and distance. He is drawn seven of the nine runners.

Jadhav said: “Apart from the draw – we’d have preferred a lower one – we couldn’t be happier with him. He’s in great form at home and we’re very hopeful."

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North America was third in this race last year before splitting Thunder Snow and Heavy Metal in round two and winning the third leg of the Maktoum Challenge, in which he had Thunder Snow more than five lengths behind in second.

He subsequently started second favourite for the Dubai World Cup but missed the break and trailed in last of ten and this is his first run since.

Bhupat Seemar, assistant to North America's trainer Satish Seemar, said: "He's going to improve for the run and is better over further, but he's in very good form at home."

Doug Watson: UAE champion trainer has three runners in the raceCredit: Francois Nel

Kimbear, who beat Heavy Metal in last year’s Group 3 Burj Nahaar, is one of three in the race for UAE champion trainer Doug Watson, who also saddles the exciting Muntazah.

Muntazah, runner-up on his dirt debut to Heavy Metal in the Godolphin Mile, is owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum, as is Watson’s third runner Etijaah, the mount of Dane O’Neill, with Jim Crowley choosing Muntazah.

Watson said: “All three are in great shape and have race fitness on their side. Etijaah should be staying on over this trip. Muntazah needed his Abu Dhabi run and has improved a lot from it. Kimbear ran well over six furlongs last month, but this is more his trip.”

Last year’s UAE 2,000 Guineas winner Gold Town will bid to give Charlie Appleby a first win in the race on his first start since finishing fourth to runaway winner Mendelssohn in the UAE Derby.

Appleby said: “The UAE Derby trip was too far for him as a three-year-old and the return to a mile will suit. It looks a strong race and we should find out where we are with regards to class and trip."

Royal Marine out to sink rivals

The most interesting runner on the card outside of the Group 2 is Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Royal Marine, who is likely to start a hot favourite against 13 rivals in the UAE 2,000 Guineas Trial
(3.40).

His trainer Saeed Bin Suroor said: "He's working well and this run will tell us whether or not he'll handle the dirt surface. We hope he does."

First runners for O'Brien

Joseph O’Brien dips his toe into Dubai waters for the first time when saddling King’s Field (Ronan Whelan) and Equitant (Pat Cosgrave) in the mile handicap on turf (6.00).

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