By Chris Hoover/Dubai
Al Shaqab Racing will look to further establish their credentials on the world stage when Mshawish and Dubday, sporting the silks of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Thani, line up for the DP World Dubai Turf and Al Tayer Motors Dubai Gold Cup during the Dubai World Cup weekend at the Meydan racecourse in Dubai today.
Treve has already put Al Shaqab Racing on the world stage with back to back victories in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Olympic Glory had earlier given Al Shaqab Racing their first Group I victory in Europe to start the winning trend. A good showing in Dubai would further enhance the reputation of Al Shaqab Racing.
The five year old Mshawish made his mark at Meydan last year by beating Trade Storm to win the Zabeel Mile in Dubai. He followed this with a good run to take fourth place in the Group I Dubai Duty Free, which is renamed Dubai Turf this year.
Under new trainer Todd Fletcher, Mshawish took some time to acclimatize in the US but he has definitely turned a corner in that respect. His last two races at Gulfstream Park in Florida were most impressive, which gave an indication towards his true potential. Mshawish decimated his rivals in the Fort Lauderdale Stakes in January, beating Grand Tito by a neck and overcame a rough passage to take the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap.
The progeny of Medaglia d’Oro, Mshawish returns to Dubai to have a say in the Dubai Turf, run over nine furlongs. The Fletcher trainee has the talent to stretch the best in the business. Jockey Frankie Dettori will guide the fortunes of Mshawish in this US $ one million event.
Meanwhile, Mshawish has suffered a minor foot bruise but has shown improvement since. Al Shaqab Racing US Racing Advisor Bradley Weisbord has issued a statement regarding Mshawish. “The bruise is much improved. Trainer Todd Fletcher’s staff Nick Bush and Ginny Depasquale have worked around the clock on the foot. Walked shed row this morning sound. Plan to go to the track tomorrow to gallop if he continues to do well. We will only run if 100 percent. Wish we had a few more days but we don’t.”
Qatar Racing’s Trade Storm is another challenger from Qatar, who is in the fray. The David Simcock trained Trade Storm finished a faraway second to Hunters Light in the Group I Jebel Hatta in the UAE on March 7. With Hunters Light retired to stud due to injury, Trade Storm will be another hope for Qatar in this contest.
Unbeaten in six outings in Qatar, Jassim al-Ghazali trained Dubday returns to Meydan to put the disappointment of an unfortunate run in last year’s Sheema Classic behind him when racing in the Dubai Gold Cup.
Dubday was a victim of sheer misfortune when he travelled to Dubai for the Sheema Classic, being knocked out of his stride in a melee involving the stricken colt Mars on the first turn. Dubday’s chances of reaching a placing were effectively crushed and jockey Frankie Dettori wisely did not persevere.Umm Qarn’s Very Nice Name which finished third in that race has been beaten by Dubday subsequently in Qatar. He has a tremendous turn of foot which will come in handy in the long stretch in Dubai. With champion Italian saddle artist Frankie Dettori set to guide his fortunes, the Al Shaqab Racing champion is a force to reckon with.
Dubday’s success in HH The Emir’s Trophy was especially significant, since he was racing for the first time after being bought by HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani and carried the new silks of his Al Shaqab Racing operation. The Emir’s Trophy was also Dettori’s first ride on Dubday, and the successful partnership has continued ever since. The Italian knows the potential of Dubday very well to exploit the turn of foot of the Ghazali trainee. Dubday has an outstanding chance to win this race.
Amongst the other Qatari owned challengers, Qatar Racing’s Just The Judge will line up in the Sheema Classic, while Side Glance, sporting the colours of Pearl Bloodstock is in the fray in the world’s richest race, the US $10 million Dubai World Cup.
One of the top contenders in the premier event, Al Shaqab Racing’s Toast Of New York suffered a soft tissue injury and was withdrawn from the mega event. The colt was among the market favourites for the world’s richest race on the back of his close second to Bayern in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Toast of New York burst onto the international scene as a three-year-old when landing the UAE Derby. He was subsequently campaigned exclusively in America, running sixth in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes before a runner-up effort behind Shared Belief in the Pacific Classic Stakes, one start prior to his Breeders’ Cup run.
