Waady raises Watson’s Al Quoz aspirations

UAE Minister of Finance and Deputy Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Doug Watson-trained’s Waady has done virtually everything right this season.

Dating back to November, the 8-year-old bay gelded son of Approve has had six starts, including four during the Dubai World Cup Carnival—the most of any horse. His improvement from a 95-rated handicapper to a 107-rated Group stakes winner has been remarkable and his connections are hopeful that more impressive runs are to be seen.

“Obviously, he’s improved to no end this season,” trainer Doug Watson said. “He has run really well over six furlongs on dirt, including a win against a decent handicap field and a good Group 3 effort, and he’s not put a foot wrong since we put him back on turf after that.”

Waady kicked off the Dubai World Cup Carnival on dirt in the Group 3 $200,000 Dubawi Stakes over 1200m, where he finished a respectable fourth behind Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) hopeful Gladiator King. In his next start, he showed his versatility by running second by two lengths to Juddmonte Farms’ Equilateral in the $175,000 Dubai Dash (Listed) going 1000m on the turf. He then stepped up to win the $135,000 Reach Handicap on Feb.13 in gritty style and wheeled back with aplomb one week later to defeat Equilateral in the $250,000 Meydan Sprint (G2)—both also over 1000m.

Before the DWC Carnival, he ran twice during the Racing at Meydan season, including a win over 1200m on dirt and a good second in the Garhoud Sprint (Listed) to Dubai Golden Shaheen-bound Ibn Malik.

“I know horses don’t get better at eight, but he’s running to the level he was when he was four and there isn’t a horse who’s doing better than he is right now,” Watson continued.  “He’s had a nice, sound year and is in a good spot. I’d like to get him into the Al Quoz, so we are hopeful that will happen, because he is at the top of his game. Whether it’s mental or physical, we don’t know, but he’s running in a straight line and is coming in fresh and his mind is good.”

The logical next step for this well-seasoned Group 2 winner is the aforementioned $2 million Al Quoz Sprint sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1), for which he would need an invitation in the immensely competitive race. All nine previous winners of the Meydan Sprint have earned such, with eight of those competing (bar a 2018 week-of scratch of Ertijaal). Two of those won both races, Shea Shea in 2013 and Blue Point in 2019.

In addition to Equilateral and Waady, the race is shaping up well. Doug O’Neill has confirmed that both Meydan Sprint-placed Blitzkrieg and Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint-winning (and course record smasher) Wildman Jack are pointing toward the race, while fellow US-based conditioners Brendan Walsh (Chaos Theory), Neil Drysdale (Oleksandra) and Peter Miller (Texas Wedge and Ghoul) have been publicized as pointing for the rich sprint.

Per Charlie Appleby, Al Fahidi Fort (G2) winner Glorious Journey is under strong consideration to cut back down to the six-furlong trip, while Godolphin’s recent $1 million 1351 Turf Sprint runner-up Mubtasim could also head that direction. Per Aidan O’Brien, Sergei Prokofiev is also under consideration.