Snow Fairy, Mastery point to Dubai

The road from Hong Kong apparently leads directly to Dubai. Two of Sunday’s big winners on Hong Kong International Raceday at Sha Tin, Snow Fairy and Mastery, are under serious consideration for races on the $26 million Dubai World Cup card at Meydan on March 26.

Snow Fairy, who won her fourth Group 1 race of the year in four different countries when taking the 1 1/4-mile Hong Kong Cup, is looking at the Dubai World Cup, while Godolphin is taking dead aim at the Dubai Sheema Classic with their 1 1/2-mile Hong Kong Vase winner Mastery.

And Rocket Man, trained in Singapore by Peter Shaw, will try to better his second-place finish to Kinsale King in last year’s Dubai Golden Shaheen after his runner-up performance in the Hong Kong Sprint.

Snow Fairy, who is on the brink of achieving Goldikova-like status following her string of international triumphs in England, Ireland, Japan, and Hong Kong this year, would be making her second start on a synthetic course if she goes in the World Cup as she won her maiden by 3 1/2 lengths against males in July 2009 by going six furlongs on the Lingfield Polytrack. Trainer Ed Dunlop, who trained Ouija Board to eight Group or Grade 1 victories in four different countries, also is considering Snow Fairy for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup back at Sha Tin on April 24, the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park on July 2, and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on July 23.

In the World Cup, she might be meeting three horses who ran on Arlington Million Day – Gio Ponti, Debussy, and Wigmore Hall. American turf champion Gio Ponti finished fourth in this year’s World Cup and second in the Million behind Debussy. Debussy has been purchased by Godolphin for their Mahmood Al Zarooni yard with the World Cup in mind. Also announced for a tilt at the 1 1/4-mile, $10 million extravaganza is the Michael Bell-trained Secretariat Stakes runner-up Wigmore Hall.

Meanwhile, Team Valor’s Marco Botti-trained Gitano Hernando has begun his preparations for the World Cup, which could be preceded by a go in Round 3 of the Maktoum Challenge at Meydan on March 3.

On the American front, Chilean Horse of the Year Belle Watling, a 3-year-old Dushyantor filly who beat older colts in two Group 1 races on dirt this year, has joined Patrick Biancone, who will prepare her for the World Cup for new owners Carl Lizza and Michael Imperio. Another ex-South American, Interaction, last year’s Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini winner, is being aimed at the Sheema Classic by his new French trainer Pascal Bary, the man who engineered the World Cup victory of Gloria de Campeao, the Brazilian-bred who has been retired to stud at Alebacks Stuteri in Sweden for his Swedish owner Stefan Friborg.