Godolphin Group 1 winners Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) square off in Thursday's grassy 1800-metre G2 Singspiel S., as the Dubai World Cup Carnival enters its second week. Eight races (seven Thoroughbred) are on tap at Meydan.
Bearing the coveted blue cap and with Christophe Soumillon in the irons, the former won the 2018 edition of this contest during a profitable Meydan campaign that season, including the G1 Dubai Turf that March. He also took his show on the road with other Group 1 wins in Munich's Grosser Dallmayr Preis and Caulfield's Ladbrokes S. Down Under later that year. A good second to superstar Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) in the G1 Cox Plate that October, the bay was shelved until this last September where he claimed the G2 Joel S. at Newmarket and failed to act in heavy ground in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. Oct. 19. He carries 130 pounds, tops among the six-horse field and gives five to six pounds to his rivals.
Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said on the Godolphin website, “Benbatl has been enjoying a nice winter out in Dubai and is in good form. He didn't like the heavy ground at Ascot last time out-all his best form has been on a quicker surface-but he has been working well recently. He goes well fresh and this looks a good starting point for him. He is conceding weight to his rivals, but is a class horse and I am hoping for a good result.”
Dream Castle, who rattled off wins in the 2019 Singspiel, G2 Al Rashidiya and G1 Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday, failed to make an impression the rest of the year. Bin Suroor is hoping that a return to familiar environs will assist the 6-year-old gelding.
Added bin Suroor, “Dream Castle is in good order too and ran some excellent races at the Carnival last year. I am looking forward to getting his campaign started over a course and distance that suits him well.”
Later on Thursday's card is the 1600-metre G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1, where Ramzan Kadyrov's North America (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a winner of the 2018 G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3, clashes with paternal half-brother and MGSW Muntazah (GB) who races in the colours of Shadwell. Secret Ambition (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) also returns roughly three weeks after taking the Listed Dubai Creek Mile over Kimbear (Temple City) on Dec. 19 for Nasir Askar and trainer Satish Seemar. Godolphin fields SW Team Talk (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) for that contest, however the listed winner has been out of action after running off the board in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup Mar. 30.
The UAE 2000 Guineas Trial is the day's third race. Held over 1600 metres on dirt, Bin Suroor saddles a trio, with the two-for-two First View (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) the most intriguing prospect. Aiming for a hat trick after taking two Kempton all-weather features on Oct. 2and Nov. 5, respectively, he is joined by the winners Laser Show (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and Lost in Time (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
“First View is a nice colt, who is unbeaten in two starts at Kempton Park, and I think he will need further than a mile in time,” said bin Suroor. “He has done well out in Dubai and I am hoping for a good result, provided he copes with the dirt. Laser Show is improving with every piece of work and he too looks like he will get further. Lost In Time is a solid horse, who always tries very hard. He has worked alongside First View and there is not much between them. This is a trial, so it is a test for all three horses, and we have to see whether they can go on the surface.”
The threesome's biggest threat is the Dec. 5 Meydan conditions victor Commanding (Ire) (Camacho {GB}), who ran second on debut locally on Nov. 21. Satish Seemar trains the bay for Nasir Askar.
Five horses bear the royal blue in Thursday's seventh race, the 1200-metre Dubai Trophy, and Charlie Appleby's Chasing Dreams (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) is already a winner over grass and all-weather after taking her two starts by a combined eight lengths at Newmarket and Wolverhampton Apr. 16 and Oct. 18, respectively. The winners Story of Light (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Silent Wave (GB) (War Front) also call the Appleby barn home, while listed winner Platinum Star (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Colour Image (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) hail from the bin Suroor yard.
Bin Suroor also offered an update on impressive UAE 1000 Guineas Trial heroine Final Song (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who will now point to the Jan. 23 1600-metre Listed UAE 1000, as will stablemate Dubai Love (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}).
“She's very good and back to exercise and cantered well this week,” Bin Suroor told the Dubai Racing Carnival notes team. “I'm happy with her and I think she will get even farther. The Guineas distance would be nice for her. The other filly, Dubai Love, ran very well to be fourth. I think we will run both in the Guineas.”
Click here for Thursday's group fields.
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