If there is one thing that can save Mike de Kock’s difficult season, a first win in the Dubai World Cup at Meydan next month with Mubtaahij would be it.
The South African is enduring one of his toughest campaigns in Dubai with just two Carnival winners so far in Light The Lights and Sanshaawes.
The return of the five-year-old bay in Thursday’s Curlin Handicap, however, is a sight to behold not only for the leading international trainer, but for the horse’s growing fan club around the world.
Mubtaahij has become a standing dish at Meydan over the years. His scintillating UAE Derby victory in 2015 showed he was potentially out of the top drawer, while the battling qualities he displayed when holding off all but California Chrome in the World Cup last season revealed the guts.
The son of Dubawi then embarked on a US campaign during the summer, which proved that he could mix it in Grade 1 company, but ultimately he returned without a win in three races for Kiaran McLaughin.
It was the second time Mubtaahij had raced in America, after chasing the short tail of American Pharoah the summer beforehand proved beyond him.
Mubtaahij only returned to De Kock’s Blue Stables on December 12, and the leading international handler points out that tonight, his World Cup hope is running at only 80-85 per cent of full fitness.
“It has not been easy,” De Kock said. “When he got back he was not moving that well and we have had to work on his soundness to get him back to his peak again.
“He seemed to have lost his action a little bit. He was tight and stiff and was feeling the effects of the long season in his legs.
“We trained him easy on arrival until he started moving well and was comfortable. We gave him massages, ice spa therapy and treadmill training.
“I am happy with how he is as an individual and his condition has always been good. He is in good nick at the moment and he is moving better now.”
Mubtaahij will have to be every bit of that 85 per cent if he is to prevail under the in-form Christophe Soumillon. If there is one man in Dubai who can get Mubtaahij over the line, it is the rider who leads the Carnival standings with seven winners.
The Belgian jockey has guided half of his 34 rides on to the podium during the first eight rounds of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, and the partnership have drawn well in Gate 4 of the 10 runners.
It is not an easy assignment, but possibly not as difficult as trying to overhaul impressive winner North America two weeks ago in the Firebreak Stakes in which Mubtaahij ran down the field last season and was not quite ready for this time around.
If Salem bin Ghadayer’s Hunting Ground, or even Doug Watson’s Storm Belt, run their career-best races then Mubtaahij is unlikely to enter the hallowed Meydan winner’s enclosure for the first time since he beat Maftool by eight lengths on World Cup night almost two years ago.
In a way De Kock is unconcerned as he has eyes only on the ultimate prize on March 25, although both Curlin and California Chrome won this race ahead of their World Cup wins in 2008 and last season respectively.
News from America on Tuesday, however, that connections of Arrogate, the world's best horse, are leaning ever closer to running in the World Cup is symptomatic of De Kock's bad luck in 2017.
“If Mubtaahij does not run a huge race in the Curlin then I have the option of the Al Maktoum Challenge to fall back on,” De Kock said referring to next Saturday.
“Just in case, I am giving myself five weeks until the World Cup knowing there would be massive improvement.
“If Arrogate comes we are all running for second place anyway.”
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