Top local, international stars for opening DWC Carnival card

The opening meeting of the eagerly anticipated 2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan on Thursday evening is a mouthwatering seven race card sponsored by Pillar Partners Azizi Developments and highlighted by the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1, as well as the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort and Group 2 Singspiel Stakes on what is a cracking curtain raiser to the international extravaganza.

Bin Suroor targets ninth win: The official feature on the card, the dirt highlight is the 1600m Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge R1 sponsored by Mina By Azizi, has attracted a field of 11, all bar two representing trainers permanently based in the UAE.

One exception is Godolphin’s dirt debutant, Gifts Of Gold, representing the pairing of Saeed Bin Suroor and Frankie Dettori who have already combined to win the race, inaugurated in 1994, on four occasions.

Those four are a record for a jockey in this race whereas Bin Suroor is actually seeking a ninth triumph in the contest and is by far the most successful trainer in its history, although Shuruq in 2014 was his most recent winner.

Bin Suroor said: “We are basically taking a chance with Gifts Of Gold on a new surface and dropping him in trip. We hope he will handle the surface because he is a big, strong, versatile type who, if the dirt experiment does not work out, could go for something like the Al Rashidiya back on turf.”

The only international challenger is Uruguayan dirt Grade One winner Ajuste Fiscal, a first UAE runner for trainer Antonio Cintra since 2010, the first season of racing at Meydan. The handler does have two previous UAE victories to his name and said: “It is great to be back and part of the carnival again. This is the best of the horses I have here this year and is very good on dirt.

In the long, illustrious, history of the race only Le Bernardin has won it twice, successfully defending his crown in 2017, and Kimbear will try and emulate him for Doug Watson on what will be his seasonal debut.

Watson, who also saddles Thegreatcollection, winner of the Listed Dubai Creek Mile over course and distance on his latest start, said: “Both are in good shape at home. Obviously Thegreatcollection has the advantage of two runs under his belt whereas Kimbear does not, but we think both will run well.”

Like Watson, Satish Seemar is seeking a third success in the race, following Surfer in 2015 and North America two years ago. He saddles three and said: “Quip, we think, is our best chance and we hope can show his true form this season, his first with us.

Salem Bin Ghadayer won the race in 2018 with Heavy Metal and relies on his 2019 Group 1 2000m Al Maktoum Challenge R3 winner Capezzano this year. A course and distance winner four times, he was third to Thegreatcollection on his return to action in the Dubai Creek Mile.

Seasonal debutant Military Law represents Musabbeh Al Mheiri who said: “The 1600m is a good starting point, but he is better over further as we saw when he was second in both the 1900m second round and 2000m third round last year.

Bin Suroor saddles three: The joint turf highlight, the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort sponsored by Creek Views By Azizi, looks likely to be dominated by the Godolphin trainers who are responsible for six of the ten runners between them.

Bin Suroor saddles Final Song, Silver Line and Land Of Legends, the last named the mount of Frankie Dettori suggesting he is the main hope.

However, fellow Godolphin handler, Charlie Appleby, has a superb record in this particular race, saddling the winner in each season bar one since 2015.

Owned by Sheikha Al Jalila Racing, Glorious Journey landed the spoils last year, leading home an Appleby 1-2-3, while D’Bai won the race in 2019, chased home by stable companion Mythical Magic who was also second 12 months ago.

They are joined by the exciting Velorum with William Buick seemingly preferring Glorious Journey, James Doyle siding with D’Bai which leaves Mickael Barzalona the plum spare ride on Velorum.

If Appleby has dominated the Al Fahidi Fort in recent times, Bin Suroor can claim the same in the Group 2 Singspiel Stakes sponsored by Riviera By Azizi, winning the 1800m turf feature, inaugurated in 2012, five times in all and in each of the past three years.

Benbatl landed the prize 12 months ago, regaining the crown he first won in 2018. Sandwiched in between was the victory of stable companion Dream Castle who will hope to emulate his illustrious stablemate by winning the race a second time. He was a late non-runner last year.