Dubai World Cup clues: what we learned from the Saudi Cup and Dubai Carnival

It will soon be the turn of the Dubai World Cup to take centre stage on the international racing scene and the recent Saudi Cup meeting at Riyadh and the carnival at Meydan, highlighted by Super Saturday, offered plenty of punting clues for the big day on March 26

Slow track has to be a concern for Life Is Good

The brilliant US-trained Life Is Good heads the Dubai World Cup market, but speed is his game and if given his chance he will be going a furlong further than ever before, so he could do with conditions quickening up.

All four thoroughbred dirt races on Super Saturday were run in times considerably slower than the same events a year earlier and Hypothetical's time – over the 1m2f World Cup trip – was more than three seconds off Thunder Snow's 2018 course record.

The track will probably be faster come the big day – all four dirt races were a good bit quicker on the World Cup card than the Super Saturday preps in 2021 – but whether it will be fast enough for Life Is Good is a question mark

Saudi second ran the best World Cup prep

Bob Baffert's Country Grammer looked to run the best Dubai World Cup prep of all, finishing a half-length second to the locally trained Emblem Road in the Saudi Cup.

Country Grammer had been off for about nine months and a one-turn nine furlongs was on the sharp side for him.

He won the 1m2f Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita last year and his blend of speed and stamina looks ideal for the Meydan showpiece, with the one concern being that race comes only four weeks on from such a big comeback effort.

Don't ignore Al Nefud

Al Nefud was second to the US-trained Hot Rod Charlie when those two prepped for the World Cup at Meydan in February and he has the potential to turn that form around.

The locally trained Al Nefud was having just his third start on dirt – and his first on the surface around two turns – and was caught wide on the first bend while the winner was hugging the rail. He had earlier defeated Desert Wisdom, who subsequently won the Group 3 Burj Nahaar on Super Saturday.

Al Nefud is a big horse who is open to further improvement and has seemingly been kept fresh for the main event.

Last year's Godolphin Mile winner is still a force

The nine-year-old Secret Ambition most recently finished a well-beaten seventh in the Saudi Cup so it would be easy to put a line through his chances of a repeat win in the Godolphin Mile.

But he ran better than it appeared in Riyadh. He had the speed to lead from an outside gate, setting an unsustainable pace but only giving way in the straight.

Secret Ambition: could bid for back-to-back wins in the Godolphin MileCredit: DRC & Erika Rasmussen

Cutting back a furlong in trip will help. It might also be worth noting he reportedly scoped dirty after the race, as did Bhupat Seemar's other two runners on the card, Gladiator King and Switzerland (possible Golden Shaheen contenders).

More Mile pointers

Strongconstitution was only fifth in the Burj Nahaar – the Godolphin Mile prep race – but did well to finish that close considering he took an extremely wide route from the outside post.

He had earlier finished second to subsequent Group 1 winner Hypothetical and if getting a strong pace and more of an inside run in the Godolphin Mile, he is another who could be a major factor.

There may also be Storm Damage, who lowered his own 7f Meydan turf track record in the inaugural running of the Ras Al Khor on Super Saturday, to consider.

A mile on dirt is a different test, but his speed would be an asset and he is by Night Of Thunder, who has produced a UAE Guineas winner and is a son of the track's leading sire Dubawi.

Russia might have the Derby favourite

The UAE Derby is an open race but the Russian-trained Azure Coast could be a worthy favourite.

Although totally devoid of early pace, he packs a powerful finishing punch and is 3-3, most recently staying on from a detached last to win the UAE 2,000 Guineas.

It helped that the leaders overdid it and he will need another strong pace in the Derby. But he crossed the line with his ears pricked and seems sure to be suited by the extra furlong and a half, with his pedigree supporting the racecourse impression.

Quality Boone, third in the Guineas, came back to win the Listed Al Bastakiya on Super Saturday.

Last year's UAE Derby winner, Rebel's Romance, had earlier finished only fourth in the Saudi Derby. Pinehurst won the latter race this time, but that was only a mile and he was clinging on at the line.

World worth another chance

Saeed bin Suroor's Real World struggled on dirt in the Saudi Cup but he's 5-5 on grass and his earlier win in the Group 2 Zabeel Mile looks even better now, with the runner-up Alfareeq winning the Group 1 Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday.

All being well, Real World should be a major force back on his favoured surface in the Dubai Turf.

Sheema up for grabs

Last year's Saudi Cup and Sheema Classic hero Mishriff finished a tailed-off last on his recent return to Riyadh.

Mishriff: disappointed on his reappearanceCredit: Edward Whitaker

But on the same card, Authority looked a leading Sheema Classic candidate when landing the Neom Turf Cup. He was one of four winners on the card for Japan, while the British-trained Hukum overcame a tricky draw to win his warm-up race at Meydan on Super Saturday.

The two sprints

Charlie Appleby may hold the key to the Al Quoz Sprint, which he won in 2018 and 2019. His Man Of Promise was impressive in the Super Saturday prep, while he also has Creative Force, who was last seen winning the British Champions Sprint at Ascot.

But Man Of Promise seems particularly effective when fresh so the 21-day turnaround to the Al Quoz could leave him flat. And don't discount the Americans. A US-trained runner filled second in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 runnings, and top spot in last year's race.

Casa Creed, runner-up in the Turf Sprint at Riyadh, is a likely contender for Bill Mott, who had the nose runner-up in 2017.

The US seem set to be well represented in the Golden Shaheen and will likely hold even stronger claims in this one.

Dancing Prince, an impressive winner of the Dirt Sprint at Riyadh, reportedly skips this race, while the domestic challenge isn't up to much, although Eastern World, who won the Super Saturday prep, deserves a mention.

He is a half-brother to dual Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow and is a strong traveller so could raise his game.

Gold Cup dark horse

Manobo, another for Appleby, is a short-priced favourite for the Dubai Gold Cup following a track-record performance in his prep race. But he could be rerouted to the Sheema Classic.

David Simcock's Rodrigo Diaz is an interesting alternative. He was only sixth behind Manobo on his reappearance but had a wide trip on a day when the inside was favoured – they were racing on fresh ground – and his trainer, who twice sent out Sheikhzayedroad to be placed in the Gold Cup, doubtless left a bit to work on.

Read more . . .

Lord North given green light to defend his crown in the Dubai Turf

Hot Rod Charlie camp confident of upsetting Life Is Good in Dubai World Cup

Explosive performance puts Man Of Promise in pole position for Al Quoz Sprint

Alfareeq causes Group 1 upset in Jebel Hatta as slow pace costs Lord Glitters

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