Mukhadram may not train on Tapeta surface before Dubai World Cup

Data from the first four years of results at Meydan illustrate that 75 per cent of winners of the races on the Tapeta surface had previously won on synthetic surfaces, writes Geoffrey Riddle.

Dubai // Mukhadram was another Dubai World Cup aspirant who trained at Meydan Racecourse on Wednesday but, much as on the previous day, trainer William Haggas restricted his charge to turf work.

Mukhadram is the first runner for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid in the Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse and is the only World Cup contender who is yet to train on the Tapeta surface.

Haggas was still undecided on Thursday as to whether he was going to try Mukhadram on the Tapeta at trackwork on Friday morning. Data from the first four years of results at Meydan illustrate that 75 per cent of winners of the Dubai World Cup, Dubai Golden Shaheen, Godolphin Mile and UAE Derby – Saturday’s Tapeta races – had previously won on synthetic surfaces.

Mukhadram has never raced on synthetics and Haggas remains in the dark about the chances of his challenger handling Tapeta.

“We don’t have a clue about the surface and we won’t know until Saturday evening,” he said.

Sheikh Hamdan won the Dubai World Cup on the dirt of Nad Al Sheba with Invasor in 2007 and appeared to criticise the Tapeta surface.

“Some horses don’t mind and can adapt, others don’t,” the Minister Of Finance told local media. “Not all horses give their best on the surface where the ground conditions change every few metres.

“New horses to the surface shorten their strides and don’t stretch naturally. It is also inconsistent – it’s slow in the morning and fast in the evening.

“I believe they add 20 per cent of cushion each year but that makes it very shallow.

“It was a good track in the first year, but has changed in recent years.”

Follow us on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE