Previously known as the Dubai Duty Free, the G1 Dubai Turf boasts an international roll of honour which includes Solow (GB), Just A Way (JPN), Elvstroem (Aus), Paolini (Ger) and Ipi Tombe (Zim), and this year's renewal features a similarly global cast with runners from Ireland, France, Britain, Japan, Dubai and Singapore.
The race has been denied the reappearance of last year's winner Real Steel (JPN) (Deep Impact {JPN}), who was ruled out earlier this week when found to have bled from both nostrils during exercise.
At the head of the market sits the well-bred Zarak (Fr), a 4-year-old son of Dubawi and the Aga Khan's outstanding racemare Zarkava (Fr) (Zamindar), who won the G3 Dubai Millennium S. at Meydan on Feb. 16. This was his first start since a third-place finish in the G2 Qatar Prix Dollar at the beginning of October and he was previously second to Almanzor (Fr) in both the G1 Prix du Jockey Clun and G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano. If breeding and beauty were the only guide required then Zarak, who has looked imperious if a little hot during trackwork this week, would be a surefire winner.
With $6 million at stake, however, there is strength in depth to the field which also includes Decorated Knight (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who will aim to maintain his trainer Roger Charlton's 100% record in the race following his victory five years ago with Cityscape (GB) (Selkirk). The 5-year-old became a first homebred Group 1 winners for his Kuwaiti owners Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar in the Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday and looks to have come on well for that run a fortnight ago.
Sheikh Hamdan's representative is the William Haggas-trained Mutakayyef (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a Group 2 winner at Ascot last summer who swerved his intended seasonal debut in the G3 Winter Derby at Lingfield with a bruised foot but has been pleasing the trainer's wife Maureen since his arrival in Dubai.
Godolphin's Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), who has remained with trainer Richard Fahey since his purchase at the beginning of last year, holds solid Group 1 form, having won the Prix Jacques le Marois and finished just half a length in second behind Minding (Ire) when signing off last season in the QIPCO Queen Elizabeth II S.
Deauville (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), winner of last year's G1 Belmont Derby over ten furlongs, appears to be the pick of the Ballydoyle trio, which is completed by Long Island Sound (War Front), runner-up in the 2016 GI Secretariat S. at Arlington, and Cougar Mountain (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who enjoyed a good seasonal pipe-opener when second to Sovereign Debt (Ire) in Qatar's Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup at the end of February.
Mondialiste (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose globetrotting exploits for owners Geoff and Sandra Turnbull of Elwick Stud have included wins in the GI Arlington Million last year and the 2015 GI Woodbine Mile, is now seven and was last seen finishing last in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf over the extended trip of a mile and a half. Trainer David O'Meara feels he will be happier back over nine furlongs today.
“The Arlington race was a 'win and you're in' for the Breeders' Cup and he was probably over-travelled when he got to Santa Anita,” he explained. “His pedigree suggested he might stay a mile and a half but now we think he will always be best at a mile to ten furlongs.”
Heshem (Ire) (Footsepsinthesand {Ire}) represents the team of Christophe Ferland and Al Shaqab Racing and the 4-year-old is making his first start outside his home country, where he won the G2 Prix Eugene Adam last year and was second on his return to racing in the Prix Darshaan on March 2 at Chantilly.
Australian jockey Michael Rodd takes the ride on the Singapore-based Debt Collector (NZ) (Thorn Park {Aus}) for trainer Cliff Brown, while Joao Moreira teams up with Japanese trainer Yasuo Tomomichi, who will saddle the G1 Shuka Sho winner Vivlos (JPN) (Deep Impact {JPN}).
The 4-year-old is one of three fillies in the race along with the Mick Channon-trained Opal Tiara (Ire) (Thousand Words {GB}), whose trip to Dubai has already proved profitable following her win in the G2 Balanchine on Feb. 16.
Godolphin's Very Special (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is also a Group 2 winner at Meydan this season, having landed the Cape Verdi on Jan. 26 and then being beaten two lengths by Opal Tiara when fifth in the Balanchine.
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