First City, third in two group stakes in England last year, caught Mahbooba in the final strides to win Friday’s $200,000 Cape Verdi Stakes over about a mile on turf at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.
Mahbooba, a 5-year-old mare trained by Michael de Kock, can win her second race of the month when she starts as the leading contender in Friday’s $200,000 Cape Verdi Stakes over about a mile on turf at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.
So You Think, a multiple Group 1 stakes winner in Australia and Europe in the last two years, is being pointed for the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse on March 31.
Musir scored a decisive victory in the $200,000 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 on Thursday night at Meydan in Dubai, but it was his stablemate, Master of Hounds, who took a solid step toward the Dubai World Cup with a runner-up finish.
The first round of the Al Maktoum Challenge tops Thursday night’s race card at Meydan in Dubai, and topping the first round of the Al Maktoum Challenge – at least in terms of interest – is Master of Hounds, who drew on the far outside of a 12-horse field entered in the one-mile race over the main track’s Tapeta surface.
Frankel, the undefeated English miler, topped the final 2011 World Thoroughbred Rankings compiled by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities and released Tuesday. His rating of 136 was four points higher than the second highest-rated performer, the Australian sprinting mare Black Caviar.
Mahbooba, a 5-year-old mare facing males, closed from off the pace to win Thursday’s $125,000 Al Rashidiya Trial on the opening evening of the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates.
View the schedule for the 2012 Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan.
The 16-day Dubai World Cup carnival begins at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, with the $125,000 Al Rashidiya Trial over about 1 1/8 miles on turf as the highlight of the program.
Victoire Pisa, the winner of the $10 million Dubai World Cup in March and two major stakes in Japan, has been retired after two disappointing races in the last five weeks.
