Comments for Dubai Race Night

Comment on Analysis for 2012 DWCC Night 7 (Friday) by GBeret83

GBeret83 — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:25:54 +0000

Zanzamar finishing 12th of 14 in the Freehold Trophy Handicap on 2-3-12 has to be the biggest disappointment of any horse in any race on that day, IMO. Especially considering how well he took to the tapeta surface in Dubai just a year ago when winning the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial, finishing 2nd in the UAE 2000 Guineas, and 4th in the UAE Derby. Coming in off of a lay-off since last year’s Carnival, I’m sure he needed the run. But finishing that far back had to be a big disappointment for Mike De Kock? De Kock’s been really high on Zanzamar’s chances of winning the G2 Godolphin Mile this year on world cup night.

Comment on Recapping the week of racing in the UAE by GBeret83

GBeret83 — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:21:11 +0000

I would think Godolphin have to be really pleased with how their 3yr.old filly, Gamilati, has looked on the tapeta surface in winning both the UAE 1000 Guineas and the Trial. They’re loaded up with several talented 3yr.old fillies this year, with the 1-2 finishers of the UAE 1000 Guineas, Gamilati and Pimpernel being 2 of them. I’m not sure if Gamilati’s performance in Dubai vaults her to the top of Godolphin’s 3yr.old filly list ahead of Lyric of Light or not? But I would have to think she’s moved up on the list at least as highly or possibly even higher now than Discourse? JMO.

Comment on Igugu wins J&B Met by Kathy Immelman

Kathy Immelman — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:18:18 +0000

Like Marc says, it takes some 4 months to move a horse from SA to anywhere else in the world. Then they have to start training and getting right all over again for some big race. This is a big chunk out of a racehorse’s racing lifespan. Also, some never quite get back to their best again.

And it is mega-expensive … not a problem for the Sheik I imagine … but de Kock brings over many horses for other owners. Sometimes it pays off spectacularly, like Lizard’s Desire last year, but often it flops too and then it is serious money spent for nothing.

Let’s hope the quarantine regulations get sorted out soon. Apart from racehorses, SA also provides some of the best endurance horses in the world, much in demand in the Middle East I believe.

Comment on Ambitious Dragon possible for Dubai Duty Free after Stewards’ Cup victory in HK by GBeret83

GBeret83 — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:39:04 +0000

This is great news to be reading that Ambitious Dragon is a possibility for the G1 Duty Free!! I was hoping maybe him or California Memory might show up for the Duty Free on world cup night, but I actually thought it was more likely that California Memory would come to Dubai? Based on his G1 Hong Kong Cup win, and the fact that his connections have shipped him out of Hong Kong to race before for last years Singapore Airlines International Cup.

Comment on Ambitious Dragon possible for Dubai Duty Free after Stewards’ Cup victory in HK by ILuvTurfRacing

ILuvTurfRacing — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:33:33 +0000

When he’s at the top of his game, like he was in the Stewards Cup over the weekend, from a mile to 10f, I think Ambitious Dragon is absolutely the best horse racing in Hong Kong!! I would rate Xtension second best to him at present at a mile, and California Memory narrowly behind him at 10f. California Memory did beat Ambitious Dragon in the G1 Hong Kong Cup over 10f back in December at Sha Tin, and he also had a pretty rough trip in the Stewards Cup on Sunday. He got boxed in and shuffled all the way back to last at one point in the race. It’s actually pretty amazing that California Memory was able to even get up for 3rd behind Ambitious Dragon and Xtension given the trip he got, and considering how wide he had to go through the stretch. But even with a better trip, no way California Memory was going to beat Ambitious Dragon in this race. It was clear from early on in the race that Douglas Whyte had a ton of horse under him in the Stewards Cup, and he proved it by barely even having to ask for anything at all in the stretch. Ambitious Dragon was barely even off the bridal in this race. I dare say if he had been already wound up to to level of form he showed in the Stewards Cup that I doubt California Memory would’ve beaten him in the Hong Kong Cup?? TJMO.

Comment on Western Aristocrat targets Godolphin Mile, Belo Acteon planning on Dubai Sheema Classic by GBeret83

GBeret83 — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:23:41 +0000

Who’s racing silks does Belo Acteon carry? Been trying to find what his racing silks look like, and can’t seem to dig them up anywhere?? Help please!!

Comment on Igugu wins J&B Met by Marc

Marc — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:01:08 +0000

The problem is not so much wanting to get Igugu to Dubai, bur rather how. The reason she’s not there already, and why Mike de Kock didn’t take any new South African horses to Dubai this season, is an issue with quarantine. The horses would have to go through months of shipping and restrictions, and he was not willing to put them through it.

A lot of effort has been made to change these restrictions, but I don’t know how much progress there has been. Unlike the rest of the world, we can’t just fly our horses to Dubai a month or a week before the big day. We have to prepare and start moving many months in advance.

Comment on Reviewing the weekend of racing in Dubai by GBeret83

GBeret83 — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:46:48 +0000

Completely agree with the comments above!! Musir’s in a class all his own in Dubai right now. Also agree that what he’s shown on turf in HK, Turkey, the UK, and in Dubai makes me think turf or tapeta, this horse just knows how to win!! I also like that he’s being pointed for the Duty Free instead of the Dubai World Cup. Although his level of form thus far in 2012, IMO, would make him a viable threat to win either race. But I do believe Musir may be better over a 9f trip than a 10f trip? I also want to throw out a word about how well City Style continues to race every year he shows up in Dubai. He’s definitely been outrunning his official rating of late. City Style’s probably one of the most versatile horses, surface wise, at the Carnival. He’s proven he has the ability to win on any surface. Early in his career, City Style raced in America and broke his maiden in a maiden claiming race on conventional dirt at Lone Star Park. He followed that win up with a 2nd place effort in an allowance stakes at Louisiana Downs. Again on conventional dirt. Then he won the listed Sunday Silence Stakes on turf at Louisiana Downs before ending the 2008 season with a 4th place finish behind Donativum in the BC Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita. City Style then showed up at Nad Al Sheba for the 2009 Dubai Carnival and promptly won both of his 09′ Carnival starts on turf. Winning the GNB Plate and the Meydan Classic. He raced in the UK all of the 2010 season on turf, and had several solid run’s in conditions stakes, handicaps, and listed stakes, before coming back to Dubai in 2011 to win 1 of his 2 carnival starts on the tapeta surface, beating the highly praised Golden Sword in the Friday Handicap. When City Style won his 2012 Carnival debut on tapeta, he’d been off the track for nearly a year. He beat a game Bridgefield in that race, a horse who’s had solid tapeta surface form himself a year ago. But his 2nd place run behind Musir in the Al Rashidiya on turf was an outstanding run, IMO, if you consider how dominate Musir’s been so far in Dubai. Granted, Musir was hard held across the wire by Soumillon in the Al Rashidiya. But ended up beaten officially only a length in that race. I think he could end up being one of the surprise horses of this year’s Carnival if he gets to race a few more times? Much like how Golden Sword was a year ago when they took him off the turf and raced him exclusively on tapeta over shorter distances. JMO.

Comment on Igugu wins J&B Met by GBeret83

GBeret83 — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:27:10 +0000

I don’t know what Mike De Kock’s plans are now for Igugu? But I’m also among the growing list of fans of this awesome filly that hopes to see her in Dubai on March 31st in the G1 Sheema Classic field!! Have to say I tend to agree with the comments from “ILuvTurfRacing” above that his Sheema Classic possible entries seem to leave Mike De Kock and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum wanting for class a good deal more than what the pair have to throw at the G1 Dubai Duty Free and the G1 Dubai World Cup fields. I know Mike De Kock has always spoken highly of Irish Flame, and he continues to state emphatically that Irish Flame has yet to be seen at his best in Dubai? I know he’s a G1 of the G1 Daily News 2000 over 10f in South Africa in 2010. Having just edged out another De Kock star, Bold Silvano, by 1/4 length in 2010. He then defeated Happy Valley in the G2 Gold Circle Derby over 12f, before having Bold Silvano reverse form on him in the G1 Durban July in 2010. But the kind of form Irish Flame’s shown in South Africa just hasn’t ever manifested itself in Dubai? And a dismal 8th place finish in the listed Ben Marshall Stakes at Newmarket in October doesn’t bold well for him either. Irish Flame did manage a conditions stakes win on the all-weather at Kemtpon over the John Gosden trained, Treasury Devil, back in early November. But that form is a long, long way from the kind of form needed to win a Sheema Classic. If Mahbooba does stand as De Kock’s other possible Sheema entry? Can’t say I’d rate her chances in the race a whole lot better? She did manage to beat 2010 Duty Free winner, Al Shemali, by some 6 lengths in the listed Godolphin Stakes over 12f at Newmarket in the fall. But followed that win up with a well beaten 6th in the G1 E P Taylor Stakes at Woodbine. I just can’t imagine Mahbooba being good enough at 12f to outrun some of the worlds top 12f turf horses. But the filly Igugu, horse of a different color entirely. Since it was announced that the Japanese star, Oferve, would bypass a run at the Sheema Classic or the Dubai World Cup entirely this year, I think it left the Sheema Classic as one of the most wide open races on the card on world cup night. A filly who’s proven good enough to win the G1 Durban July and J&B Met back to back would certainly rank as a major player in the Sheema Classic, would one think?