Dubai World Cup contenders get dress rehearsal on Super Saturday

Godolphin has a quartet challenging the meeting’s turf feature, the Jebel Hatta

In this July 11, 2020 file photo Master Of The Seas, ridden by jockey William Buick, wins the uperlative Stakes on day three of The Moet and Chandon July Festival at Newmarket Racecourse in Newmarket,Show more

The Super Saturday meeting, the traditional dress rehearsal of the Dubai World Cup, will see some of the potential runners on the big day in action across the nine races at Meydan.

The Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 over the 2,000-metre distance on the dirt – the same track and trip as the $12million Dubai World Cup race on March 25 – is the highlight of the meeting.

Heading the 14-runner field is the Fawzi Nass-trained Salute The Soldier, winner of the prize in 2021 and fifth last year. The Sepoy gelding finished fifth in the 2021 Dubai World Cup race.

Salute The Soldier made successful reappearance over the track and trip, and was fifth in the 1,900m in the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 behind Algiers, who skips the race to go directly to the World Cup.

The champion trainer Bhupat Seemar has four entered with stable jockey Tadhg O’Shea to partner Law Of Peace.

Godolphin has strong claims in the turf feature, the Group 1 Jebel Hatta, with Saeed bin Suroor and Charlie Appleby represented by two runners apiece.

Real World, under Daniel Tudhope, appears to be Bin Suroor’s main hope while Pat Cosgrave is onboard his other, Land of Legends.

“This will be Real World’s first start since June and I expect him to be 80-85 per cent ready for the race,” the Emirati trainer said.

“He has had issues in the past but has been working nicely recently. We are treating this very much as a prep for the Dubai Turf and he will certainly come on for the run.”

Appleby fields Master Of The Seas, the choice of William Buick, and James Doyle atop Valiant Prince.

Master Of The Seas won on his only racecourse appearance in 2022 and landed the Group 2 Zabeel Mile in his last start on January 20. Valiant Prince is undefeated in four starts at Meydan, the last two over this track and trip, in the Group 2 Al Rashidiya and Singspiel Stakes.

Racecard:

3.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 – Group 1 (PA) $75,000 (Dirt) 2,000m

4.05pm: Dubai City Of Gold – Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 2,410m

4.40pm: Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $250,000 (D) 1,600m

5.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint – Group 3 (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,200m

5.50pm: Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $170,000 (D) 1,900m

6.25pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 – Group 1 (TB) $450,000 (D) 2,000m

7.10pm: Ras Al Khor – Conditions (TB) $300,000 (T) 1,400m

7.45pm: Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $350,000 (T) 1,800m

8.20pm: Mahab Al Shimaal – Group 3 (TB) $250,000 (D) 1,200m