ED MARNANE
ALL eyes will be focused on Nad Al Sheba tonight for the eagerly awaited local debut of 2008 U.S. champion two-year-old and Kentucky Derby hopeful Vineyard Haven, who faces nine rivals in the UAE 2000 Guineas, on his first start for new handler Saeed bin Suroor.
The Godolphin trainer continues to bang in the winners at this year’s carnival, saddling a treble last Friday, putting him five clear at the top of the trainers’ table.
Surprisingly Godolphin’s stable jockey, Frankie Dettori, currently heading the carnival jockeys’ table with eight wins, rides Desert Party, with Daragh O’Donohoe riding Suroor’s other runner Regal Ransom. Vineyard Haven, who is entitled to be ring-rusty on his first outing in 131 days, holds sound claims as he’s proven under these conditions and if he’s to have any serious aspirations of winning America’s biggest prize at Churchill Downs in May needs to put up a big show.
Desert Party had a diminishing 0.50 lengths to spare over Regal Ransom in a 1400m conditions race last month, the pair meets on identical terms and both should give a good account. Redding Colliery, representing Herman Brown,
whose team has struggled to find form at this year’s carnival, is held by the Godolphin pair when back in third on the aforementioned conditions race.
Brown’s compatriot, Mike de Kock, is seeking a third successive Guineas following the wins of Asiatic Boy and Honour Devil. The South African trainer saddles Blues And Rock and Rocks Off. The pair finished fourth and fifth respectively behind Desert Party, they need to step up considerably if they’re to turn the tables tonight.
The Pascal Bary-trained unbeaten Brazilian import Regionalista, who carries the hopes of France, looks best of the remainder.
In the previous race De Kock is fancied to win the 1100m conditions race on dirt with champion South African sprinter JJ The Jet Plane, a multiple Grade 1 winner, on his first run in Dubai. Cruelly denied a run in the Hong Kong Sprint in December due to quarantine red-tape regulations, the gelding comes here with a big reputation and if he can handle the underfoot conditions, he should be too classy for the opposition.
Star Crowned, who set a track record when beating Sir Edwin Landseer and 11 others in the corresponding race 12 months ago, looks the main danger. Although, his busy campaign recently (fifth start in four weeks) is a worry. Force Freeze, a smooth winner on his local debut before flopping in the Al Shindagha Sprint, can’t be overlooked if bouncing back to form. He possesses tremendous early pace, suggesting the step back in distance won’t inconvenience this unexposed son of Forest Camp.
In Race 2 10 go to post for a trappy 1400m handicap on dirt in which local trainers have tended to dominate in these events in the history of the carnival. Fares, the only last-start winner in the line-up, holds solid claims, while Jet Express, runner-up in a Listed contest on his most recent outing, and Jonquil, a promising third seven days behind Roman’s Run on his comeback, look the main dangers.
A case could be made for Godolphin’s Yamal provided the gelding handles the conditions on his dirt debut.
Top-weight Green Coast can enhance the excellent record recently of champion trainer Doug Watson in the opening race. The six-year-old comes here in good heart after finishing a creditable second behind My Indy in Round I of the Maktoum Challenge, the winner franked the form by going on to capture the second leg last week.
Familiar Territory can repeat his victory of 12 months ago in the 2000m handicap on dirt for the in-form Suroor/Dettori partnership. The son of Cape Cross, who must concede weight to his seven rivals, shaped with plenty of promise on his seasonal reappearance behind Silver Mist in a Group 3 contest on turf.
Tonight’s assignment represents a drop in grade. The enigmatic Dynamic Saint, a winner last time over the course, Art of War, third in a similar contest last week, and Glen Nevis look the obvious dangers.
Half an hour later, the 1300m conditions race on turf, a trial for the inaugural Meydan Classic next month, looks at the mercy of Saeed bin Suroor. Having finished behind the placed horses in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, City Style (Frankie Dettori) sets the standard on his local/Godolphin bow. He should find this company far easier.
Another US import, Jose Adan (Ted Durcan), winner of two of his three starts last year, gives Suroor a strong hand. If the Godolphin pair are both to be overturned, the Bahrain raider Jargelle looks the most likely. She wasn’t disgraced behind Sos Brillante on dirt on her carnival debut last month.
Winner of the valuable Weatherby’s Super Sprint last year at Newbury, the speedy daughter of Kheleyf will relish returning to racing on turf. Although, there are stamina fears about staying the distance
