The 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival begins its march to Dubai World Cup night on Mar. 30 with a pair of group races at Meydan on Thursday. Worth $200,000 each, the 1200-metre G3 Dubawi S. and grassy 1800-metre G3 Singspiel S. drew fields of seven and 16, respectively.
A prep for the G1 Dubai Turf on Dubawi World Cup night, the Singspiel pits Irish highweight and GI Belmont Derby Invitational S. hero Deauville (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})-making his first start for Fawzi Nass and new owners Victorious–against David Simcock's MGSW Arod (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Chilean champ Furia Cruzada (Chi) (Newfoundland), third in the 2017/18 editions of the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 for trainer Erwan Charpy. Other entrants include German MGSW Degas (Ger) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) who ran second in the G2 Premio Vittorio di Capua in Milan on Oct. 21, as well as GSW Light the Lights (SAf) (Western Winter) after a win in the G3 Abu Dhabi Championship on Mar. 17. Godolphin fields six runners, with trainers Saeed bin Suroor and Charlie Appleby fielding a trio apiece. Bin Suroor trainee Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a MGSP in Turkey and England and fifth in the G1 English 2000 Guineas in 2017, anchors the sixtet.
Leading the Dubawi S. field is last out Listed Garhoud Sprint victor Drafted (Field Commission), one of two from the Doug Watson barn along with My Catch (Ire) (Camacho {GB}), who struck on Feb. 8 in the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint locally last carnival. G3 Chipchase S. hero Above The Rest (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}) makes his first start in Dubai, as does Swedish GSP Trickbag (Brilliant Speed) and Korea's Ace Korea (Smiling Tiger). The latter's sire just celebrated his first Grade I winner when Spiced Perfection upset the GI La Brea S. at Santa Anita in late December.
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