Godolphin has a crowd for Nad Al Sheba Trophy at Meydan

It’s a quiet week of racing at Meydan in Dubai, especially considering the fireworks taking place this weekend about 600 miles nearly due west. There sits Riyadh, site of Saturday’s $20 million Saudi Cup and rich undercard, while Thursday at Meydan, the Thoroughbred feature is the Group 3, $300,000 Nad Al Sheba Trophy Stakes.

The Nad Al Sheba Trophy is carded at about 14 furlongs on turf, a stayers race, and is part of the local road to the $1.5 million Dubai Gold Cup, a two-mile race on the Dubai World Cup undercard March 28.

The nine-horse field, populated by five Godolphin horses, includes the top three finishers from an earlier Meydan race in this division, the Meydan Cup on Jan. 30, won by Secret Advisor, who was one length better than Dubai Horizon, with Dubhe third. The disappointment in that race, Dee Ex Bee, isn’t entered Thursday, while the new player is Spanish Mission.

Four-year-old Spanish Mission, trained by Dubai regular David Simcock, last saw racing action on Sept. 7, when he won the Jockey Club Derby Invitational at Belmont Park by a nose over Pedro Cara. Spanish Mission at 110 is the highest-rated horse in the field but carries only 121 pounds, about 4 1/2 pounds fewer than seven of his eight opponents. Jamie Spencer comes into ride, but Spanish Mission surely is using this start as a prep for the Gold Cup.

Six-year-old Secret Advisor was making his Dubai debut in the Meydan Cup and might have performed well enough in that return from a layoff that static form is his best-case scenario Thursday. Dubai Horizon appears equally exposed, while Dubhe also seems to have limited upside on the day. Charles Kingsley might be considered for an upset chance as he makes his first start outside England, where he was trained by Mark Johnston, while moving into the barn of Dubai maestro Salem bin Ghadayer.

Almond Eye coming back to Dubai

Major news out of Dubai this week regarding Japanese superstar Almond Eye, who is on course to try and win the $6 million Dubai Turf for the second year in a row. The Dubai Turf is one of six Group 1 wins on Almond Eye’s resume, and though she is coming off the worst race of her career, a ninth-place finish Dec. 22 in the Arima Kinen, Almond Eye will assuredly be one of the stars of the March 28 Dubai World Cup card.