Blair House returns to scene of glory for Al Rashidiya Stakes
A pair of Group 2, $250,000 stakes, the Al Rashidiya and the Al Fahidi Fort, highlight a six-race Dubai World Cup Carnival card Thursday night at Meydan Racecourse.
The Al Rashidiya drew nine entrants to run 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) around one turn on turf in a race that traces forward to the $6 million Dubai Turf on the Dubai World Cup card in about two months.
Top-rated at 116 is Blair House, who had a strong 2018 World Cup Carnival, during which he won twice and twice was second, with his signature victory coming in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta on the Super Saturday card. There, Blair House beat Benbatl, who would return to win the Dubai Turf, a race in which Blair House never got involved, finishing 10th. Blair House most recently had a three-start campaign in Australia, the best of those races a nose loss to Benbatl in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Stakes. James Doyle has the mount for trainer Charlie Appleby.
Blair House is one of six Godolphin-owned entrants in the Al Rashidiya, along with Dream Castle (rated 114), Leshlaa (111), Racing History (111), Bay of Poets (110) and First Contact (109). Dream Castle had his official rating boosted three points through a Jan. 3 win in the Group 3 Singspiel Stakes over this same trip.
Arod and Deauville have old form strong enough to contend, but both performed poorly last out in their Dubai debuts, Deauville finishing 11th and Arod 16th in Dream Castle’s Singspiel.
The Al Fahidi Fort over about seven furlongs on turf has 13 entrants, several of whom are interesting, but none more so than Marinaresco. A 6-year-old on Northern Hemisphere time, Marinaresco makes his first start in Dubai after being imported from South Africa and turned over to trainer Mike de Kock. Marinaresco, by Silvano and trained in South Africa by Candice Bass-Robinson, won a pair of Group 1’s, including the 2017 Durban July. It remains to be seen if Marinaresco can scale those heights again this late in his career. The Al Fahidi Fort distance is almost certainly short of his best, and Marinaresco likely is merely tuning up for future goals in Thursday’s race.
Comin’ Through last was seen Dec. 9 at Sha Tin in Hong Kong finishing 11th behind Beauty Generation in the Hong Kong Mile. Trained by Chris Waller (who also handles a mare named Winx), Comin’ Through’s Australian form is better than his Hong Kong performance, and he should go at least somewhat better Thursday. Godolphin runs four in the Al Fahidi Fort. Top Score, who exits a Meydan handicap win, could have the best chance among them.
