See what the trainers say about the horses - Kahayla Classic and Dubai World Cup Track Notes for March 28
Group 1 $250,000 Dubai Kahayla Classic Track Notes for Friday, 28 March, 2014
Mushrae (FR) – Mushrae (FR) came onto the all-weather track on Friday morning together with Cirrus des Aigles and his trainer Jean-Pierre Totain said: “I have to admit that I’m much happier this morning. He looked all right yesterday, but not as well as today. So I am relieved that he has acclimatised on time. He cantered this morning and quickened nicely towards the end and everything is great.”
Al Mamun Monlau (FR) – Al Mamun Monlau (FR) continued his visit to the Meydan training track, where he cantered on his own. His trainer Jean-François Bernard said: “For the last three days his morning exercise went really well and I’m happy with him. He seems nice and relaxed and we are looking forward to the race.”
Vetlana De Faust (FR) – Qatar’s leading trainer Jassim Al Ghazali put the 5yo mare on the easy list for the day, following the same path as her Dubai Sheema Classic-bound stablemate Dubday.
Group 1 US $10M Dubai World Cup Track Notes for Friday, 28 March
Akeed Mofeed (GB) — Trainer Richard Gibson: “He is in very good shape. The preparation has gone well and he is in fantastic health. You need to be 100 per cent to win this race and I reckon that’s where he is.”
Belshazzar (JPN) — Trainer Kunihide Matsuda said, “He put in a routine canter on the all-weather this morning. He wanted to go faster but was well controlled. Although he has lots of fighting spirit, he was settled well mentally and walked fluidly. He got in the starting gate smoothly and stood by quietly, which was good. Actually I felt he was too relaxed and was quiet last week, but his conformation including his eyes, muscles and everything has adapted to the training on the all-weather track. He really concentrated on his work. He’s tuned up for tomorrow”
Hillstar (GB) – Regular work rider Katie Reed was back in the saddle on Friday morning, after big-race jockey Ryan Moore’s early 800m work-out over the main all-weather track on Thursday. The Royal Ascot winner was confined to the turf track for a leg-stretcher.
Trainer Sir Michael Stoute said: “Very pleased. Hillstar and Dank [Dubai Duty Free] were out early on Thursday to give them experience of the floodlights but we were back to the normal routine today. He’s in a very open race, with the biggest field ever, but we’ve a good draw and he’s thrived since he arrived.”
Looking ahead to Hillstar’s first run on an artificial surface, Stoute added: “He hasn’t been on the all-weather here but we took him to Great Leighs and he handled the Polytrack fine.”
Hokko Tarumae (JPN) – Trainer Katsuichi Nishiura said, “He worked very well today. He was in good order, and all has been set for tomorrow.”
Military Attack (IRE) — Trainer John Moore: “The final day preparing and I couldn’t be happier. He finished his feed bin last night and he’s bright and happy out on the track this morning.”
Mukhadram (GB) – Following his exercise on Thursday under jockey Paul Hanagan, Mukhadram (GB) spent a quiet morning Friday in the quarantine barn area, a routine he will repeat on Saturday morning prior to the world’s richest race.
Trainer William Haggas said the 5yo son of Darley sire Shamardal (USA) seems to have handled his first trip outside of England to race in fine fashion.
“He seems fresh and well,” said Haggas, “although we won’t really know how well he has traveled until he runs.”
Haggas recalled that His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum, Mukhadram (GB)’s owner, began to plan for his run in the Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates about nine months ago after the horse ran a huge race and was just edged at the wire by Al Kazeem (GB) in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
“When His Highness said to me last June after he ran so well at Royal Ascot that he would like to run in the World Cup, I was thrilled to death. It is such a privilege to be here,” said Haggas, who is hoping that Mukhadram (GB) will give Sheikh Hamdan a performance in which he can be proud.
Red Cadeaux (GB) – Last year’s Dubai World Cup second had his final leg stretch ahead of tomorrow’s main event when seen on the all-weather track just after 7 a.m.
“His preparation has gone smoothly and everything is tickity,” said trainer Ed Dunlop. “The track is getting warmer, which will suit us, and I am looking forward to tomorrow.”
Ron the Greek (USA) — For the third consecutive morning, Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates contender Ron the Greek galloped over the Meydan all-weather track and trainer Nicholas Bachalard is pleased with the way he’s handling the surface.
“He’s traveling very well over it,” Bachalard said. “We’re confident he’ll run his race.”
As an assistant to Christophe Clement for 16 years, Bachalard has been around dozens of quality individuals, but a Dubai World Cup win would certainly be a crowning achievement.
“It’s one of the few races in the world that every trainer dreams about winning,” he said.
Win, lose or draw, following the Dubai World Cup, Ron the Greek will return to Saudi Arabia for a vacation.
“The main season in Saudi is over, so he would get time off until October,” Bachalard said. “They (the Royal family) will decide what’s next, but if he stays in training The King’s Cup (Group 1 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup) would be a possibility.”
Ruler of the World (IRE) – The Derby winner, who will run for the first time for the new Irish-Qatari partnership of Coolmore and Al Shaqab Racing on Saturday, and his big-race jockey Joseph O’Brien led out the six-strong Ballydole team of trainer Aidan O’Brien in public for the first time since they entered quarantine on Tuesday evening.
Ruler Of The World continued to head the pack as they walked the reverse way of a circuit on the outside of the all-weather track, before turning to complete a further lap in the direction of racing at a very steady canter.
Stable representative Pat Keating summed up the well-being of the squad by saying: “They travelled great and all look well.”
Jockey Joseph O’Brien added: “Ruler Of The World is in good form. He travelled very well and he just had a gentle hack around the track this morning, just to stretch his legs. He’s a very laid back horse with a good attitude, and take things in his stride. This time last year, it’s hard to believe, but he had yet to see a racetrack. He’s wintered well. His brother Duke of Marmalade improved from three to four, and I think he can do the same. His draw is not ideal, but it is what it is. It’s impossible to know in advance whether they’ll handle the surface, but I’m hopeful that he will.”
Sanshaawes (SAF) — Mike De Kock, trainer of Sanshaawes said: “We were delighted with the draw – after his Super Saturday effort from a wide draw we have to be hopeful of a big run from a good one.
“We knew he was going to be a good horse to bring for the Dubai World Cup Carnival as we thought he was well handicapped. To win two, be Group 1-placed on Super Saturday and receive an invitation to the world’s richest horse race is more then we could have hoped for.
“Fingers crossed, he is going to be competitive in a good field.”
Side Glance (GB) — Andrew Balding kept last year’s fourth to the training track this morning where the Mackinnon Stakes winner had gentle exercise under work rider Leanne Masterton.
“He is in good form and has won a Group 1 in Australia since he was last here so we are very much looking forward to it,” said Balding’s wife Anna-Lisa.
Surfer (USA) — Richard Mullen, Surfer’s jockey, said: “I am really looking forward to it and, considering his record of getting a terrible draw, we have to be quite happy with 10. He ran a great race on Super Saturday, from his bad draw and hopefully he can be competitive again.”
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