All week here in Dubai the racing cognoscenti have chattered about the softness of this year’s $6 million Dubai Turf, which says something about how strong the race has been in recent years.
Fields were drawn and post positions assigned late Monday for the Godolphin Mile, Dubai Gold Cup, and UAE Derby. The Godolphin Mile drew a field of 16, with likely favorite Tamarkuz stuck on the rail and another major local hope, Surfer, marooned in post 16.
Main Sequence, the champion turf horse of 2014 who won the Breeders’ Cup Turf last fall and is 5 for 5 since being imported to the U.S. from England, blew out about three furlongs down the home straight and into the clubhouse turn a little past 8 a.m. on the Tapeta training track located just southeast of the Meydan main track.
California Chrome very early Tuesday morning had his final work for the $10 million Dubai World Cup and his first-ever work for exercise rider Dana Barnes.
Alan Sherman, the son and main assistant of trainer Art Sherman, traveled with California Chrome to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby, to Baltimore for the Preakness, and to Long Island, N.Y., for the Belmont Stakes. The three Triple Crown stops all have their particular charms and quirks. But none would have prepared him for his latest trip with the 2014 Horse of the Year – to Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. “It’s different, I’ll say that,” Sherman said by phone Friday morning from Dubai.
They’re back. After basically saying thanks but no thanks in 2014, when a mere three horses made the trip, U.S.-based horses will travel en masse for the March 28 Dubai World Cup card at Meydan Racecourse.
The 16-runner field was gathered at the start of Friday’s $825,000 Cheltenham Gold Cup when jockey Paddy Mullins revealed his race tactics to fellow rider Nico de Boinville.
The international governing body of equestrian events has suspended the United Arab Emirates from participating in any endurance events for an indefinite period after concerns were raised about endurance races hosted by the country, the governing body, known as FEI, announced on Thursday.
He needed 13 tries, but champion jockey A.P. McCoy scored his first winner of this week’s Cheltenham Festival when Uxizandre led throughout Thursday’s $470,250 Ryanair Chase at 2 1/2 miles at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Perhaps it is fitting that jockey A P McCoy will ride his final Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday on a 9-year-old gelding named Carlingford Lough. Both started their careers in Ireland and are at the top of their games.
