DUBAI (March 27, 2019)—The 2019 US $2.5 million Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen sponsored by Gulf News is set to be a clash of titans, with a five-strong U.S. attack headlining the field, as well as contenders from the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Bahrain, Ireland and Hong Kong. Arch rivals and multiple Grade 1 winners Imperial Hint and Roy H headline, taking their show on the road, having clashed in the last two Breeders’ Cup Sprints.
Roy H, who breaks from the rail, is trained by Peter Miller for Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen and has been campaigned in the exact same fashion as last year’s UAE raid, leaving some to believe that he again could be vulnerable. He has consecutive victories in the Santa Anita Sprint Championships Stakes (G1), Breeders’ Cup Sprint and Palos Verdes Stakes (G2) in sharp fashion, but the Imperial Hint camp had its excuses in both of the big-race losses and comes to Dubai hoping to right the wrongs. Paco Lopez takes the ride on Roy H, while Imperial Hint picks up Jose Ortiz in an intriguing shift of line-up.
Imperial Hint (post two) has been turning heads at the track in the mornings, taking a keen hold when doing the rounds. Now a 6-year-old gelding, the Luis Carvajal Jr trainee has returned after making the initial trip two years ago, when he was unable to take his shot at the riches on offer due to illness. Having turned the tables on his misfortune, the mischievous Imperialism charge started collecting top level victories, securing the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) over 1200m at Saratoga before a Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes victory at Belmont Park. Said big wins, much like in his previous season, set him up as a possible champion, but his aforementioned loss to Roy H when all the money was on the line prevented such an ascension.
Jorge Navarro’s X Y Jet (post three) plans to cause some turbulence, with the son of Kantharos lining up in the Dubai Golden Shaheen for a third time. The injury-plagued grey is out to make amends for two second placings in the same race, getting beaten by a neck in 2016 after a gruelling straight battle with Muarrab and a head in 2018 when the deep-closing Mind Your Biscuits caught him on the line. The front-running type posted a 7¾-length showcase at Gulfstream Park over 1200m before boarding the plane and has been cruising comfortably around the familiar Meydan dirt course since his arrival. Emisael Jaramillo has the ride.
Making a 4-year-old seasonal bow on the world’s richest night in racing seems an unorthodox course of action, yet Grade 1 Allen Jerkins winner Promises Fulfilled (post four) will be doing exactly that. Trainer Dale Romans knows how to successfully peak a horse on Dubai World Cup night, having won the feature race with Roses in May in 2005, and has pencilled in the Shackleford colt for a debut in the competitive Dubai Golden Shaheen renewal. Shown to be a strong first-up performer when winning the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) three months after his third-place finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, Promises Fulfilled will now be facing a five-month layoff when aiming to take on the best sprinters in the world. If the Romans-trained colt turns up in form, X Y Jet will be needing his turbo mode to maintain the lead, with the chestnut’s early speed allowing him to contest the pacemaker.
Trained by an American and bred in the U.S., Drafted (post five) will actually be the sole local representative in the race for defending UAE Champion trainer Doug Watson. Ultra-consistent, the gelding has a posted three wins and a second in four starts during the Dubai World Cup Carnival this year, of which two occurred at Group 3 level in the Al Shindagha Sprint and Mahab Al Shimaal three weeks ago. The 5-year-old grey will need to have further improved his custom late closing run if he is to catch these world class sprinters in the 400m Meydan dirt straight.
Fifth in last year’s renewal, Japanese graded stakes winner Matera Sky (post nine) will have his work cut out under legendary Japanese jockey Yutaka Take for trainer Hideyuki Mori if he is to be competitive on Saturday evening. Bahraini runner Nine Below Zero (post seven) is out to test his class against the big boys for Fawzi Nass, having posted a career-best run when finishing second by a neck to Drafted in the Mahab Al Shimaal (G3) after a ground-saving rail-ride from Dutch jockey Adrie de Vries. David Marnane has been confident about his Tato Key (post eight) , assured the 4-year-old colt has continued to improve from his second and third placings during the Carnival behind Drafted.
Dual U.S. Grade 3 winner, Switzerland (post six) is flying the flag for 2008 Dubai World Cup-winning trainer Steve Asmussen, having had three starts on the Meydan dirt, with his last effort returning a lacklustre fifth place. Owned by Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, the $500,000 auction purchase needs to rebound strongly to stay on top of the expected blistering pace. Fight Hero (post 10) completes the field, adding intrigue under Hong Kong three-time Champion jockey, Joao Moreira. Second in the domestic Grade 1 Keeneland Korea Sprint in Seoul, the Yu Sak Me Tsui-trained deep closer will have to find multiple lengths to catch the U.S. sprinters.
BLUE POINT THE STANDARD IN AL QUOZ SPRINT
A captivating test of some of the world’s strongest sprinting form lines awaits in the Al Quoz Sprint sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1). In fact, Saturday’s $2 million event shapes as something of a world title bout for turf sprinters, with each country aiming to stamp its dominance on the division. The battle over Meydan’s 1200m straight course sees horses from Australia, Hong Kong, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland and France tackle a strong local contingent. It is a race where a middle-to-outside draw has proven favourable in recent years, with only one winner—The Right Man in 2017—coming from lower than six.
Heavily-favoured Blue Point breaks from post eight and represents perhaps Godolphin’s strongest chance of the evening. Withdrawn at the gate last year under veterinary advice, the King’s Stand (G1) winner gets a second chance at a first impression for trainer Charlie Appleby. Blue Point enters off imperious wins in the 1000m Meydan Sprint (G2) and the 1200m Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3), the two leading local lead-ups for the Al Quoz Sprint. Having proved untouchable against local opposition this season, the 5-year-old son of Shamardal looks poised to add another top global contest to his imposing resume. William Buick retains the ride.
Also in the line-up are the two horses who filled the placings behind Blue Point in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint: Ekhtiyaar (post 10) for trainer Doug Watson and the Fawzi Nass-prepared Mazzini (post four). Jim Crowley and Adrie de Vries ride, respectively, for two horses who appear to be in career-form.
Leading the charge against the local brigade are three of Australia’s finest sprinters attempting to emulate 2012 winner Ortensia and 2016 hero Buffering. Illustrious Lad (post 11) is an old hand at Meydan, having represented trainer Peter Gelagotis and his large group of owners valiantly when fifth in this race last year. Anthony Darmanin, fresh off the biggest victory of his career on Mystic Journey in the inaugural All-Star Mile, rides.
On form, though, Illustrious Lad looks eclipsed by his two compatriots. Brave Smash (post six) a 6-year-old Tosen Phantom horse, began his career in Japan before he was purchased by Australian Thoroughbreds. The two-time G1 winner down under has only recently joined the yard of Kris Lees and will have the riding services of Hugh Bowman, best known as the great Winx’s rider.
Also flying the Australian flag is bonny mare Viddora (post 12), in the final campaign of a distinguished career that has notched two G1 wins and plenty of plaudits. Young horseman Lloyd Kennewell combines with long-time stable ally, jockey Joe Bowditch, with horse, trainer and rider all on debut outside of Australia.
“I believe that, on any given day, Australian sprint form can match up anywhere in the world,” Kennewell said. “It’s happened in big races many times and there is a lot of depth in our ranks. It took us a long time to win a big one with Viddora but she’s shown she belongs in this grade now. I’d be very hopeful that she can run a big race based on what I’ve seen from her in Dubai so far.”
Like Australia, Hong Kong has also won the Al Quoz Sprint twice with Joy and Fun (2010) and Amber Sky (2014). Their sole representative this year is Richard Gibson’s emerging talent Wishful Thinker (post 13), a horse known for his late burst of speed but still untested at this level; he has only stepped out in stakes company once when third of six runners in the Bauhinia Sprint Trophy (G3) over the straight Sha Tin 1000m in January.
“Hong Kong sprinters have proven themselves to be world class time and time again,” Gibson said. “It’s exciting to have a horse like this who is still on the way up and is still improving, even at his age. It’s a good international field but I hope he can prove he deserves to be there.”
Victory has eluded American trainees in the Al Quoz Sprint, with most top US sprinters instead heading to the dirt for the Dubai Golden Shaheen sponsored by Gulf News. However, placings from Long on Value (second, 2017), Stormy Liberal (second, 2018) and Conquest Tsunami (third, 2018) suggest that an American victory is on the horizon.
Once again, Peter Miller’s two-time Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) champion Stormy Liberal returns in a bid to go one better. This year, he is joined by stable companion Belvoir Bay, a classy mare in her own right with multiple graded stakes wins to her name. The duo will be partnered by Joel Rosario and Flavien Prat. The pair jump from posts one and seven, respectively.
“It’s a very strong field,” Miller said. “That’s the beautiful thing about the Dubai World Cup, it’s not easy. This is like the Breeders’ Cup with all the best horses in the world gathered in one place. Whoever gets the trip and is feeling the best that day is going to be the winner. Stormy Liberal is a dream come true, he’s a very special horse, and Belvoir Bay has a heart of gold, when she’s on her game and she’s sharp she’s as good as any turf sprinter in the United States.”
The Miller pair are joined by Glen Hill Farm’s Caribou Club for trainer Tom Proctor, with the City Zip 5-year-old set to jump from post nine under Joe Talamo. Glen Hill Farm’s president and chief operating officer Craig Bernick says that he believes the best American turf sprinters are capable of matching it with their rivals from across the globe.
“I would think that the American horses should fare well,” Bernick said. “Most of the other horses have probably done more than Caribou Club, just because—until this year—the only Grade 1 race we have had for sprinters on the turf is the Breeders’ Cup. The American turf sprinters globally don’t get enough credit because of this, but I think we can measure up.”
Across the Atlantic, another last-start Group 1 winner, Sands Of Mali, has been long targeted to return in the Al Quoz Sprint, this time with new owners. Phoenix Thoroughbreds has joined forces with original owners, the Cool Silk Partnership, with the Richard Fahey trainee set to sport the white and orange for the first time. While consistency is not his hallmark, the 4-year-old did break through at the highest level last start when capturing the Champions Sprint Stakes (G1) over the Ascot 1200m in October. Oisin Murphy takes the mount from stall two.
Joining him as a European raider is Aidan O’Brien’s delegate Lost Treasure, who raced eight times in eight weeks across three different countries to close out his 3-year-old season late last year. The War Front colt returns for the first time as a 4-year-old with Ryan Moore to guide him from gate three.
Completing the field of 13 is a former winner, the Didier Guillemin-trained The Right Man. Victorious in 2017 by a flared nostril, the unassuming gelding from south-western France has only raced twice in the last 15 months. He will jump from stall five with regular rider Francois-Xavier Bertras atop.
