As the most successful trainer in the history of the Dubai International Racing Carnival it is no surprise to see the UAE trainer Saeed Bin Suroor at the top of the table again. However it is more of an achievement than in the past as he took the lead with a stunning hat-trick of victories last Thursday. He had been trailing Mike de Kock from the start of the Carnival and like a beautifully timed run he hit the front inside the last 100 yards to take the lead.
At the other end of the spectrum it was really exciting to see Peter Chapple-Hyam have his first winner at Meydan with Crying Lightning come good under jockey Jimmy Quinn. The stylish Quinn is not a regular on the UAE circuit but he timed his run with great aplomb to also secure his first Meydan Victory. Quinn has been successful in the past and became synonymous with the success of Gay Kelleway’s Vortex at Nad Al Sheba.
Gay Kelleway is not in such good order. Having returned from saddling her runners at the Carnival to her Exning Base in the UK she was delighted with Eastern Gift who won his second race of 2011 at Lingfield. Back at home the horse gave Kelleway a kick that left the trainer with a nasty haematoma. I am sure the tough Englishwoman will be back in good spirits soon.
JJ the Jet Plane delighted the crowd last week and now heads to Dubai World Cup night to contend the Al Quoz Sprint. Having tried to win another handicap on the Tapeta on his previous run he was clearly relishing the return to his beloved grass to show an amazing extra gear to annihilate the field. These sprinters are so exciting and JJ certainly showed us why sprinting is so popular. He has more air miles than most and it was so thrilling to see this horse back to his very best and lets hope he keeps his form for the Al Quoz.
The excitement for the Dubai World Cup is really building in the town but with the Jaguar Style Stakes means that people are preparing a lot earlier for the big night. This year’s World Cup Style Stakes competition is sponsored by Jaguar. There are three categories: Best Dressed Woman; Best Dressed Man and Best Dressed Couple. The Best Dressed Woman has the biggest prize and it includes one year’s lease of a Jaguar, a mobile phone and six nights stay for eight people at Hideaway Club resort so it is a very serious prize and will definitely worth the effort. I cannot wait to sample the atmosphere around the fashion.
At a Carnival Meeting I met the outriders and was so impressed with their team and the job they do. Every morning the team, led by Dick Fear, can be seen on the gallops from 3.30 am helping all the horses being trained and making sure everything is safe and running smoothly. You will also see them at the races and sometimes they will not finish until 11.30pm after the races so it can be a long day. Fear told me that the horses love the work as do his team of eight and one horse that is used is the ex Mike De Kock trained Wolfwhistle who held the track record at Nad Al Sheba for many years.
This week in the United Kingdom it is the Cheltenham Festival. The Festival is four days of high class action for jump racing and it is a traditional match between the Irish and the British to show off who has the best horses. The rivalry is fierce and legendary but the atmosphere is thrilling and I am going so I am very excited about seeing the top horses in this sphere competing over four days.
Until this year Henry Cecil, the Master of Warren Place and trainer of Twice Over who is the current Dubai World Cup favourite, had not attended the Cheltenham Festival. However this year is different and he will be having his first runner in the St Patrick’s Day Derby. This is a charity race run this afternoon and it is in aid of Cancer Charities. Cecil himself has beaten cancer, but sadly his twin brother David did not, and he is keen to support the cause that has been a part of his life. Plato is the horse he is running and he will be a very popular selection to win. Recent reports on Warren Hill suggest the horse has been readied with true professionalism and I fully expect the Cecil to leave Cheltenham with a 100% strike rate. The horse is to be ridden by the experienced Lorne Fowler in the “fun race”.
Then it will be down to more serious business as Cecil arrives out here for the Dubai World Cup. We will be getting the full lowdown on Twice Over’s preparations and how they are going. It could be a unique double for the legend that is HRA Cecil?
Congratulations to Hussam Fawzi Barake from Sharjah who won the Race to the Dubai World Cup competition with a score of 496 points. He won the tough competition and only hit the front with a week to go. Reem ended as the leading horse with 116 points and I am not sure anyone would have predicted that. It has been quite a Dubai International Racing Carnival so well done to all the entrants.
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