There will be plenty for South African fans to cheer as Tony Millard saddles Super Jockey in the Golden Shaheen and Mike de Kock sends out a total of seven runners on the night, including Pylon in the Godolphin Mile;  Al Moonqith, Star Empire and Mushreq in the Dubai Gold Cup;  Mubtaahij (pictured) in the UAE Derby;  Via Africa in the Al Quoz Sprint and Umgiyo in the Dubai Turf.

Runners and their trainers are listed below:-

$1,000,000 Gr2 Godolphin Mile – 1600m (dirt)

No	Name	Trainer
1.	Graphic (Ireland)	William Haggas
2.	Sloane Avenue (USA)	Jeremy Noseda
3.	Bradester (USA)	Eddie Kenneally
4.	Tamarkuz (USA)	Musabah Al Muhairi
5.	Pylon (South Africa)	Mike de Kock
6.	Surfer (USA)	Satish Seemar
7.	Frankyfourfingers (France)	Salim bin Ghadayer
8.	Dark Emerald (Ireland)	Brendan Powell
9.	Gold City (Ireland)	Satish Seemar
10.	Prayer For Relief (USA)	Dale Romans
11.	Layl (USA)	Doug Watson
12.	Forjatt (Ireland)	Dhruba Selvaratnam
13.	Nolohay (Ireland)	Musabah Al Muhairi
14.	Footbridge (USA)	Charlie Appleby
15.	Free Wheeling (Australia)	Saeed bin Suroor

 

$1,000,000 Gr2 Dubai Gold Cup – 3200m (turf)

No	Name	Trainer
1.	Brown Panther (Great Britain)	Tom Dascombe
2.	Bathyrhon (Germany)	Pia Brandt
3.	Dubday (Great Britain)	Jassim Al Gazali
4.	Ahzeemah (Ireland)	Saeed bin Suroor
5.	Meandre (France)	Doug Watson
6.	Al Moonqith (USA)	Mike de Kock
7.	Cooptado (Argentina)	Doug Watson
8.	Rio Tigre (Ireland)	Salim bin Ghadayer
9.	Star Empire (South Africa)	Mike de Kock
10.	Brass Ring (Great Britain)	Ismail Mohammed
11.	Havana Beat (Ireland)	Andrew Balding
12.	Mushreq (Australia)	Mike de Kock
13.	Marzocco (USA)	John Gosden
14.	Al Saham (Great Britain)	Saeed bin Suroor
15.	Dormello (Ireland)	Dhruba Selvaratnam
16.	Vaasa (Ireland)	Ahmad bin Harmash

 

$2,000,000 Gr2 UAE Derby – 1900m (dirt)

No	Name	Trainer
1.	Dear Domus (Japan)	Yutaka Takahasi
2.	Tap That (Japan)	Yasutoshi Ikee
3.	Golden Barows (USA)	Noriyuki Hori
4.	Faithful Creek (Ireland)	Brian Meehan
5.	My Johnny Be Good (USA)	Eoin Harty
6.	Sir Fever (Uruguay)	Charlie Appleby
7.	Mubtaahij (Ireland)	Mike de Kock
8.	Maftool (USA)	Saeed bin Suroor
9.	Al Najem Al Faiz (Saudi Arabia)	Badr Reziac
10.	Motaa (Saudi Arabia)	Badr Reziac

 

$1,000,000 Gr1 Al Quoz Sprint – 1000m (turf)

No	Name	Trainer
1.	Sole Power (Great Britain)	Edward Lynam
2.	Amber Sky (Australia)	Ricky Yiu
3.	Peniaphobia (Ireland)	Tony Cruz
4.	Bundle Of Joy (Australia)	David Hall
5.	Distinctiv Passion (USA)	Jeff Bonde
6.	Stepper Point (Great Britain)	William Muir
7.	Via Africa (South Africa)	Mike de Kock
8.	Farmah (USA)	Francois Rohaut
9.	Sir Maximilian (Ireland)	Ian Williams
10.	Ahtoug (Great Britain)	Charlie Appleby
11.	Caspar Netscher (Great Britain)	David Simcock
12.	Caspian Prince (Ireland)	Tony Carrolll
13.	Lancelot De Lac (Italy)	Dean Ivory
14.	Hototo (Great Britain)	Fawzi Nass
15.	Green Mask (USA)	Wesley Ward
16.	Mirza (Great Britain)	Rae Guest

 

$2,000,000 Gr1 Dubai Golden Shaheen – 1200m (dirt)

No	Name	Trainer
1.	Lucky Nine (Ireland)	Caspar Fownes
2.	Rich Tapestry (Ireland)	Michael Chang
3.	Big Macher (USA)	Richard Baltas
4.	Secret Circle (USA)	Bob Baffert
5.	Salutos Amigos (USA)	David Jacobson
6.	Muarrab (Great Britain)	Musabah Al Muhairi
7.	Shaishee (USA)	Musabah Al Muhairi
8.	Krypton Factor (Great Britain)	Fawzi Nass
9.	Super Jockey (New Zealand)	Tony Millard
10.	United Colour (USA)	Dhruba Selvaratnam
11.	Speed Hawk (USA)	Robert Cowell
12.	Cool Cowboy (USA)	Doug Watson
13.	El Padrino (New Zealand)	Alwin Tan

 

$6,000,000 Gr1 Dubai Turf – 1800m (turf)

No	Name	Trainer
1.	Euro Charline (Great Britain)	Marco Botti
2.	Mshawish (USA)	Todd Pletcher
3.	Solow (Great Britain)	Freddy Head
4.	Cladocera (Great Britain)	Alain de Royer Dupre
5.	The Grey Gatsby (Ireland)	Kevin Ryan
6.	Hunter’s Light (Ireland)	Saeed bin Suroor
7.	Trade Storm (Great Britain)	David Simcock
8.	Farraaj (Ireland)	Dhruba Selvaratnam
9.	Earnshaw (USA)	Salim bin Ghadayer
10.	Umgiyo (Australia)	Mike de Kock
11.	Limario (Great Britain)	Doug Watson

 

$6,000,000 Gr1 Dubai Sheema Classic – 2410m (turf)

No	Name	Trainer
1.	Main Sequence (USA)	Graham Motion
2.	Designs On Rome (Ireland)	John Moore
3.	Flintshire (Great Britain)	Andre Fabre
4.	Harp Star (Japan)	Hiroyoshi Matsuda
5.	Dolniya (France)	Alain de Royer Dupre
6.	One And Only (Japan)	Kojiro Hashiguchi
7.	Just The Judge (Ireland)	Charles Hills
8.	Sky Hunter (Great Britain)	Saeed bin Suroor
9.	Sheikhzayedroad (Great Britain)	David Simcock
10.	True Story (Great Britain)	Saeed bin Suroor

 

$10,000,000 Gr1 Dubai World Cup – 2000m (dirt)

No	Name	Trainer
1.	Epiphaneia (Japan)	Katsuhiko Sumii
2.	California Chrome (USA)	Art Sherman
3.	Hokko Tarumae (Japan)	Katsuichi Nishiura
4.	Ron The Greek (USA)	Nicholas Bachalard
5.	Lea (USA)	William Mott
6.	African Story (Great Britain)	Saeed bin Suroor
7.	Prince Bishop (Ireland)	Saeed bin Suroor
8.	Side Glance (Great Britain)	Andrew Balding
9.	Candy Boy (USA)	Doug Watson

(Fields sourced from:  Thenational.ae)

Picture: Mubtaahij (Dubai Racing Club)

– Sportingpost.co.za

 

None of the parties involved were forthcoming about the reasons for the split but a press statement released by Snaith Racing yesterday read, “The majority partners of Futura, Jack Mitchell and John Freeman, wish to record that they were presented with an ultimatum by their partner (Ian Longmore) that they either buy him out or sell to an overseas buyer, failing which he would force Futura to be sold by public auction within a matter of days.”

“His offer to sell has been accepted and the remaining partners felt it untenable to continue in a stable where their ex-partner has close ties. Therefore, Futura has been moved to Snaith Racing. The intention is to race the horse in Durban for the season and thereafter decide on his future.”

The statement continued, “Jack Mitchell and John Freeman wish to thank Brett Crawford for his magnificent handling of Futura and would like to record that the move in no way casts doubt on his ability as a racehorse trainer. They wish him every success in future.”

In a sporting reply Crawford said, “I’m very upset to lose the horse but I wish him and his owners all the best in the future.”

When contacted, Freeman said he was not aware of the circumstances that led to the ultimatum and was not prepared to comment any further than what was in the press release. “We bought the horse to race, so that’s about it,” he added.

Longmore said it was a private matter and was not prepared to comment.

Legislate races in the colours of Drakenstein Stud but has Mitchell and Freeman as partners. The intention is for both colts to race in Champions Season so the winter programme for the two will be interesting.

 

Captain America, the 8-10 favourite who finished third, weakened badly in the final furlong after looking like a winner when he hit the front 400m out and the stipes reported that he was hanging.

Exelero, backed from 11-2 to 3-1 second favourite, was reported by his rider to have changed stride continually. The course vet said the horse was not striding out on his left fore and was making an abnormal respiratory noise. The latter complaint was also found to be affecting 5-1 third favourite Bezanova who finished fourth.

Captain America, though, is still on course for Saturday week’s HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes and Brett Crawford said yesterday: “That was a prep run. He pulled up fine, he is sound and on track.”

Picture: Paterfamilias (Liesl King)

He said: “Absolutely! He’ll be coming up for that race and then staying on with one of my assistants for the R2-million President’s Champions Challenge at the end of next month. We’re still finalising travel arrangements, but he’ll be there!”

King Of Pain beat some of the best “milers” in the land when landing a 40-1 win from a wide draw in last season’s 1600m Gold Challenge, his conquests including last year’s Horse Chestnut Stakes winner Yorker. He went on to run poorly in last year’s Vodacom Durban July before an excellent second to subsequent Queen’s Plate and J&B Met winner Futura in the Champions Cup at the end of last season. “That was a strong form line,” said Ramsden.

A couple of months later there were worrying times for his connections when the good-looking Greys Inn gelding got colic and had to have an operation. According to Ramsden, he came through well and has “done alright”.

“He’s had one prep race and I was happy with the run,” said Ramsden. “He carried a massive weight, 62kg, and ran third behind Ze Kaiser and Power King in the Cape Mile at Kenilworth on 21 February. He put in a nice workout at Kenilworth last weekend and will have another grass gallop this weekend.”

King Of Pain, the joint-second top-rated runner on the list of entries behind Louis The King, is drawn at No 12 and that is not in his favour although he does run from the front which will limit the effect. And punters will ignore him at their peril because Ramsden has a good record on the occasions he has brought horses to the Highveld.

King Of Pain will be facing Futura again later in the season in Durban. Futura’s connections were considering sending him overseas but decided against it and trainer Brett Crawford told Gold Circle: “We are now getting him ready to go to Durban and his programme could possibly be the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes (2 May), the Rising Sun Gold Challenge (13 June) and the Vodacom Durban July (4 July).”

Equus Horse Of The Year Legislate is back in training, according to a Facebook post from Cape trainer Justin Snaith. Legislate was diagnosed with a severe lung infection after running last in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate in January and had to be scratched from the J&B Met. The Vodacom Durban July winner will be among the 20 horses Snaith takes to Durban for the Champions Season.

– Nicci Garner for TabNews