This weekend is seeing the second-biggest meeting of the year in the UAE take place at Meydan. It’s “Super Saturday” — a day of trials for the Dubai World Cup meeting in three weeks’ time.
There are nine races, eight of which are preps for course and distance events on the World Cup card and more than $2.3 million in prize money. There are also two Group 1s, making this an important day for local trainers as it is their best chance of landing a win at racing’s top tier.
Not that this isn’t a busy international day, too. There are 34 overseas runners from 12 different countries, including two who already have G1 victories on their CV. They are Emaraaty Ana, trained by Kevin Ryan in the UK, and A Case Of You, trained by Ado McGuinness in Ireland.
They clash in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint, the prep for the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, which looks like the race of the night. Both are unlikely to be 100 percent fit, with a bigger target in three weeks, although A Case Of You did win on the all-weather at Dundalk a couple of weeks ago. A loaded contest also includes dual course Listed winner Man Of Promise for Charlie Appleby and last year’s first and third, Final Song and Acklam Express.
Speaking of last year’s winners, there are five of them on the card, which is one of the great things about racing in the UAE — the stars are often of the recurring variety. Lord Glitters and Barney Roy won the G1 Jebel Hatta in 2021 and 2020, respectively, and one of them could make history by becoming the first horse to win the race twice.
So could Salute The Soldier, trained by Fawzi Nass, as no horse has ever won two runnings of the G1 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 — the official feature race with a whopping purse of $450,000. It won’t be easy for him, though, as he faces stiff competition from Dubai World Cup fourth, Hypothetical, and Avant Garde, who was third in last year’s Godolphin Mile and who tries this distance for the first time.
Another defending his crown is Canvassed, who lines up for Doug Watson in the closing G3 Mahab Al Shimaal, prep for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, and Brraq, who contests the opening G1 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 for Purebred Arabians.
There are no defending champions in the 1400-meter Ras Al Khor race, as it hasn’t been run before. It looks to be a belting contest, with Haqeeqy, Storm Damage and D’Bai all in the reckoning, while the 3-year-olds clash in the Al Bastikiya, prep for the UAE Derby. Fancied in that one is Bendoog, a massive horse who is still growing into his huge frame, although Withering looks a danger for Salute The Soldier’s trainer Nass.
The great horses on show on Saturday aren’t just active racehorses, either. Dubai Racing Club has launched an expansion of its current rehoming program for ex-racehorses. Called “Dar Al Khail,” meaning “Home of the Horse,” it will be celebrated by a parade of ex-racehorses before racing. Those on display include G3 winners My Catch and Shamaal Nibras, while the oldest is 29-year-old First Flame.
A Super Saturday, indeed.
$2.3m prize money at stake as strong international field contest Super Saturday in Dubai
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