Steven Burridge, an Aussie native training in Singapore for some time, has had two wins from his three starters at the lucrative Carnival (Dark Matter, Captain Obvious), the first such wins for Singapore.  The island nation did claim their first Dubai World Cup programme win with Rocket Man in March, annexing the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1).  Ip Man runs at Saturday’s meeting, the fourth of Burridge’s contingent.

So You Think last appeared in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, his first start on dirt, and finished a most credible sixth.

Appearances in the UAE have been limited for the operation, but they did record a win in the Dubai City of Gold (G2) when Front House scored over the stalwart, Quijano, racing in the all navy colours of Mrs. John Magnier.  That mare was co-owned with a South African stable.

Tosen Jordan, winner of the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) in stakes record time, was reported to have a similar goal as So You Think, according to Japanese racing blogger and photographer Kate Hunter.  Tosen Jordan tied a Japanese national record for the fastest 2,000 metres on turf with that win, and finished second behind Buena Vista in the 2011 Japan Cup (G1).

Photo courtesy – Singapore Turf Club

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Seven months ago, Italian jockey Mirco Demuro landed a massive, emotional career tally when taking the $10 million Dubai World Cup with Japanese entrant Victoire Pisa. Just days removed from the tsunami that ravaged the Japan’s northeastern shores, and the psyche of millions more, Demuro’s underrated, but masterful ride topped a Japanese quinella on one of racing’s brightest stages.

“Personally, it was huge,” Demuro said from the quaint grandstand at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on Sunday.  ”Just overwhelming.”

Victoire Pisa came to the 2011 Dubai World Cup riding consecutive wins in the Arima Kinen (G1), Japan’s all-star year-ending race, and the Nakayama Kinen (G1).  When winning the Arima Kinen, Victoire Pisa settled fourth in the 2,500-metre race, but was pulled off the rail and asked to move forward with 1,100 metres to run.

“He’s one of those horses you have to keep after, reminding him what’s going on.”

Normally placed towards the first half of the field, the son of Neo Universe slammed the gate on jumping in the World Cup and was an immediate last in the field of 14.  Fellow Japanese raider Transcend, ridden by Shinji Fujita, took his normal position on the lead and slowed the pace as much as possible.

“I knew they were going slow, so I had to pull out and make a move.”

Demuro caught 12 top jockeys sleeping behind the slowest 2000-metre pace in the history of Meydan, and catapulted from 14th to first in 400-metres.

“There aren’t many horses I’ve experienced that with,” and none Demuro could actually remember, “but he was one who could definitely handle that move.”

The Trakus timings for the race recorded Victoire Pisa’s cumulative time after 600 metres at 41.43 seconds and positioned 14th of 14.  After the first 1,000 metres, he was 1st of 14 having run 1:06.42, a 400-metre split of 24.99 seconds.  And with that, the Dubai World Cup was won with a gutsy move by a steady jockey.   Watch the replay of the race below.

Form from the Dubai World Cup was franked repeatedly throughout the year when fourth home Cape Blanco won three Grade 1 events in America, fifth Gio Ponti took one, sixth Gitano Hernando won the Singapore International Cup (G1) in his next start, seventh Musir scored in the Topkapi Trophy (G2), and eighth Buena Vista won the Japan Cup (G1).  Unfortunately, nagging injuries kept Victoire Pisa off the course until November, did not find his form in two starts, and was retired a week ago.

A seven-race New Year’s meeting at Abu Dhabi saw Demuro’s first race in the UAE since the $10 million win, an AED80,000 (US$21,783) handicap for purebred Arabians over 2,200 metres on the firm course. Riding Forgehill Cezanne, the soft-touch of Demuro guided the 6-year-old to the front past the post the first time around and set a temperate gallop in a race lacking much pace.

When favoured Takaamul was hung wide around the turn, Demuro backed the tempo to a crawl going down the back, forcing Richard Hills to potentially commit his mount for home too soon.  The two battled nip and tuck for the length of the 400-metre stretch, yielding a ridiculously-tight photograph. Results from the photo took, seemingly, ten minutes while the local crowd hooted with each slow-motion replay before Takaamul was declared the winner by the slimmest of discernable margins.

For $10 million or $21,000, Demuro gives his all.

“I’m taking a risk being here, but hope they see my work and like it.”

“I rode three months for Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz in Saudi Arabia when I was 17…and wow,” Demuro recalled from some 20-years ago, eyes wide signifying the impact of the experience.  ”It was something else.”

“I’ve loved my time in America, too, riding in California about a decade ago for Bobby Frankel and Richard Mandella, who took me into his home and treated me like a son.”

“We got to be pretty good friends,” Mandella said in a March 2011 story for the Daily Racing Form. “He was the greatest kid. He was very athletic and good on a horse. I hated to see him leave when he did.”

After spending several months a year in Japan and his native Italy, Demuro is back on the Arabian peninsula and intends a full three-month stay for the Dubai World Cup Carnival, which begins Thursday. Demuro was named one of the twelve jockeys in this year’s two-day Meydan Masters, a competition amongst the winning riders from a sample of top international races. One of the Meydan Masters races takes place Thursday with three more on Friday.

“I’m not riding on contract with any stable, just trying to piece together some rides.”  Demuro mentioned potential business coming from Marco Botti, Luca Cumani, and Ernst Oertel, specifically for horses that might not already be spoken-for through previous commitments.  ”I just hope people are willing to give the winner of the Dubai World Cup a chance.”

Contact Pat Cummings – pat @ dubairacenight.com

Photos above courtesy EERC/Cedric Lane.  Purchase these and others of UAE racing from Cedric – email UAERacingPics @ gmail.com.