Listed Dubawi Stakes Attracts Group 1 Sprint Stars for Inaugural Running

Second Dubai World Cup Carnival Meeting Also Features UAE Classic Trials

The Dubawi Stakes, the highlight of the second Dubai World Cup Carnival card of 2014 may be officially classed as a Listed race, but with the first three home in the 2013 Dubai Golden Shaheen among the starters, it feels more like a Group 1.

The Satish Seemar-trained Golden Shaheen hero, Reynaldothewizard, Edward Lynam’s runner-up, Balmont Mast and 2012 Golden Shaheen winner and 2013 third place finisher, Krypton Factor from Fawzi Nass’s yard all make their seasonal debuts in the newly-created Dubawi Stakes over 1200m.

Reynaldothewizard has not been seen since his Dubai World Cup-day victory but Seemar’s stable star is said by the trainer to be faithfully following the same route as his 2013 campaign and is good fresh, having won first time out in two of his three local seasons.

“This is the obvious place to get him back on the track, especially as he does not have a penalty,” explained stable jockey, Richard Mullen. “He is not a horse you can race too much and only had three runs before the Golden Shaheen last year and that could well be the case again. He seems in great form at home and I am looking forward to getting him back on the track.”

Held over the same trip as the Dubai Golden Shaheen on March 29, 2014 this inaugural running of the Dubawi Stakes has attracted a quality field of eight.

Krypton Factor, locally-trained but representing Bahraini conditioner, Nass was a winner of a course and distance handicap here just under two years ago, and followed up with the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal on Super Saturday, before his 2012 Dubai Golden Shaheen victory.

He has not won since, but was second and third last year, behind Reynaldothewizard, in the Mahab Al Shimaal and Golden Shaheen respectively. He has been to Europe over the summer, running three times and then breaking out of the stalls resulting in his disqualification before the July Cup at Newmarket.

Nass said: “He was running well in Dubai last year without things falling quite right and then nothing really went right in Europe after his excellent third in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

“Newmarket was disappointing – everything looked spot on for him but he was unable to run after getting out of the stalls. He has settled back in well in Dubai and should run well but will come on for this run.”

When Krypton Factor was second in the 2012 Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint, he was beaten by Hitchens, who represents the UK in Thursday’s race, while Ireland are particularly well represented.

Carnival regulars Russian Soul, who carries a penalty for Mick Halford, thanks to his Group 3 win in September and the Eddie Lynam-trained Balmont Mast are joined by Farmleigh House, a first UAE runner for his owner and trainer, William Martin.

Dubai Duty Free sponsors the whole card and the chances are the airport retailer could see a classic winner make a UAE debut with the 1400m all-weather trials for both the UAE 1000 and 2000 Guineas also taking place on Thursday.

Ireland’s Pat Shanahan saddles Dolce N Karama in the colts’ race, the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial and the horse, who remains a maiden is having only his third career start. His second outing was in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy when he was an excellent fourth and his owner, Jimmy Long, said: “I have had some nice horses in the past but this is the best. He is an exciting prospect who is only going to improve as he matures.”

This race, first run as an official trial for the first time in 2010, has a good record producing the subsequent UAE 2000 Guineas winner, most recently the Mike de Kock-trained Soft Falling Rain last year.

The South African has both Full Combat and Journeyman in the trial this year and both, thanks to the fact they were foaled in the southern hemisphere, are forced to concede weight to their 13 rivals.

Godolphin duo, Emirates Flyer, trained by Saeed bin Suroor and Charlie Appleby’s Safety Check head the dangers.

It is a similar story in the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial with De Kock’s pair, Magrooma and Magroora giving weight to their eight rivals due to their place of birth.

The Appleby-trained duo of Wedding Ring and Autumn Lily may give De Kock’s runners most to think about.

The first three home in the 2013 Dubai Golden Shaheen on Dubai World Cup renew their rivalry at Meydan tomorrow (Thursday) in the Listed Dubawi Stakes. Reynaldothewizard (yellow colours) Balmont Mast (red and white colours) and Krytpon factor (blue and yellow colours)
Credit: Dubai Racing Club // Andrew Watkins

Dubawi Stakes contenders, Reynaldothewizard (yellow colours), Balmont Mast (red and white colours) and Krypton Factor (blue and yellow colours) fight it out in the finish of the 2013 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen.
Credit: Dubai Racing Club // Andrew Watkins