Jeremy Greene reports
The Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint sponsored by Azizi Developments, with $1.5 million up for grabs down the six-furlong chute at Meydan, appears one of the more open races on the Dubai World Cup programme.
As befitting a meeting of such international variety, strands of global form are woven into 15 runners from seven different countries. The home team has five representatives with Al Suhail from Godolphin and Charlie Appleby seemingly chief among them, if the early betting is a reliable guide.
Top pick in overseas markets, however, is the British-trained Al Dasim, winner of his last five starts, three of them at this course and distance since January.
George Boughey’s three-year-old won the prep for this race on Super Saturday, the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, convincingly defying a statistical bias against horses drawn in low-numbered stalls down the sprint track.
Comment on the draw is relevant. Consensus holds horses drawn high – nearer the grandstand side – are favoured. Last year’s winner A Case Of You exited the gate on the near side, in stall 16, and raced prominently before prevailing by a neck.
The winning barriers for the previous nine editions of the race were as follows: 8 for Extravagant Kid in 2021, 8 for Blue Point in 2019, 10 for Jungle Cat in 2018, 3 for The Right Man in 2017 (when a late deluge turned the going ‘yielding’), 9 for Buffering in 2016, 7 for Sole Power in 2015, 8 for Amber Sky in 2014, 7 for Shea Shea in 2013 and 10 for Ortensia in 2012.
Middle to higher gates have evidently fared best and therefore a solid case can be made for Al Dasim in gate 8 who also receives 9lbs from his older male rivals. His third birthday is not until 11 th April so he is doing very well to be where he is so young.
“He has obviously adapted very well here throughout the winter,” Boughey said.
“It was nice to get a good draw with the pace seemingly on the right side so he’s in great shape.”
A good case can also be made for one of two Hong Kong envoys, Sight Success, who has drawn stall 13 and will have the services of Ryan Moore.
Hong Kong horses have a good record in this race – two wins to date and multiple placed finishes – and this guy finished second in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint last December, no mean feat in an environment which prizes speed so dearly.
John Size, his multiple champion trainer, said of his preparation: “We gave him a barrier trial last Tuesday and it was normal for him. He’s about six weeks between runs going into Saturday’s race but, with this particular horse, I’d prefer that.”