Ethical Diamond on course for Dubai

Ethical Diamond, upset winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar in November, is on schedule for the Group 1, 1 1/2-mile Dubai Sheema Classic in the United Arab Emirates on March 28.

Trainer Willie Mullins, who is based in Ireland, wrote in a text message on Wednesday that Ethical Diamond “is in good form and preparing for his trip to Dubai. Apart from constant rain in Ireland, all is well.”

A 6-year-old Irish-bred gelding, Ethical Diamond rallied wide in the stretch to win the BC Turf by 1 1/4 lengths at 27-1. He ran 1 1/2 miles in 2:25.4, a course record. Prior to the $5 million BC Turf, Ethical Diamond had not started in a seven-figure race or in a graded race that did not involve hurdles.

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A winner of 5 of 15 starts, Ethical Diamond started in several notable hurdle races in 2024 and 2025, including a fourth-place finish in the County Hurdle at the famous National Hunt Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse in England last March.

The BC Turf was Ethical Diamond’s third consecutive win, preceded by the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes against 17 rivals at 1 1/2 miles at Royal Ascot last June and the $676,400 Ebor Handicap against 21 rivals at 1 3/4 miles at York Racecourse last August.

March will be a busy month for Mullins. He is the all-time leading trainer at the Cheltenham festival with 113 wins, and he is favored to be leading trainer at the four-day event from March 10-13.

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