Suedois squares up for Meydan challenge

A mainstay in top-level turf races on multiple continents, ageless David O’Meara trainee Suedois has taken his show, once again, on the road and lands in Dubai for the Dubai World Cup Carnival. A nine-time winner from 47 starts, the soon-to-be 9-year-old has admirably held his form over the past five seasons, including victories in the Prix de Meautry Barriere (G3) over 1200m in 2015, $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) and Boomerang Stakes (G2) over 1600m in 2017, and Supreme Stakes (G3) over 1400m just four months ago. The nearly black son of Le Havre literally landed in Dubai on Dec. 23 and entered quarantine.

“He likes seven furlongs to a mile,” O’Meara said. “I think the first race for him is Jan. 2 and we’ll look at those good handicaps for him. Later on, we’ll look at a race like the Group 2 Zabeel Mile. He’ll likely have three races between January and February.”

The inaugural running of the $175,000 Meydan Challenge (Listed) over 1400m will likely be the first target on opening night. Before the aforementioned $250,000 Zabeel Mile (G2) on Feb. 20, the logical race in the interim would be the $250,000 Al Fahidi Fort (G2) over 1400m. Two $175,000 handicaps fit his 110 rating during the DWC Carnival, including one over 1600m on Jan. 16 and 1400m on Feb. 27. If his rating slips to 108 following his local bow, additional handicap opportunities present themselves.

Meanwhile, led by a pair of Dubai World Cup night runners, 2012 Dubai Golden Shaheen-winning trainer (and owner) Fawzi Nass is cranking up his fleet-footed pupils heading into the Dubai World Cup Carnival, including the top-rated horse in his yard, Nine Below Zero (107), and turf aces Mazzini (106) and Legendary Lunch (101).

Owned by Al-Afoo Racing, who also own Legendary Lunch, Nine Below Zero is aiming toward opening night of the DWC Carnival on Jan. 2 and its Dubawi (G3) over 1200m. Last season, the son of Showcasing stamped himself as a rising star when winning his local bow during a domestic ‘Racing at Meydan’ meeting.

Mazzini, a gelded son of Exceed and Excel owned by Nass and Ahmed Al-Qattan, won his first two races—over 1000m and 1200m on turf—in Dubai during the DWC Carnival after being purchased at Tattersalls 2018 Horses in Training Sale for $120,081. He went on to chase home Blue Point in both the $350,000 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3) and $2 million Al Quoz Sprint sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1), finishing third and 11th.

Specific targets for Mazzini could be the a 1000m $250,000 Meydan Sprint (G2) on Feb. 20 or 1200m $175,000 Dubai Sprint (Listed) on Feb.6.

Legendary Lunch will look to fill that void in the meantime. The chestnut has been seen exercising over Meydan’s dirt track over the last two weeks, including a breeze under jockey Adrie de Vries on Tuesday morning, Dec. 24. The two-time Listed-winning son of Dragon Pulse has not raced since the last day of the UAE season in April, when finishing off the board in a dirt handicap.

Races possible for the charge include the 1000m handicap for horses rated 90-105 on Jan. 2 and 1200m handicap on Jan. 9 for 90+. Last season, Legendary Lunch won Abu Dhabi’s 1400m (turf) The President Cup (Listed) in fine fashion.