Dubai Super Saturday
Preview Guide
FREE
MARCH 10
Preview
Dubai World Cup Super Saturday
4
FOUR HORSES TO WATCH
By Pat Cummings, DubaiRaceNight.com
Race 2 - #8 SURFER
This son of Distorted Humor is, somewhat amazingly,
still a maiden, but that hasn’t been much of a problem
in the UAE this season. The 3-year-olds on the road to
the UAE Derby (G2) have taken their turns beating each
other, and this colt just keeps finding himself in the mix.
He has every right to appreciate the stretch out from
1,600 meters (about 1 mile) to 1,900 meters (about 1
3/16 miles). According to the Trakus statistics, in his
UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) fourth place finish, he traveled
almost 20 feet more than the winner, #5 Kinglet, and
about 33 feet more than the second place finisher, #1
Mickdaam, who enjoyed a rail run the entire trip. In
the end, though, he was only beaten just more than two
lengths. On the stretch out, where he is likely to enjoy
the added distance, he. There is precedent for a maiden stepping up to win a listed race amongst the 3-yearolds, when just two weeks ago, #4 Burano did it when
winning the Meydan Classic on turf, defeating Group 3
winner Entifaadha, and six others who are back in this
field.
Race 6 - #10 SHIMRAAN
If you were to watch a replay of his last race, you’ll
easily notice that Frankie Dettori does nothing to really
get after his mount. Drawn with an inside post, he was
stuck against the rail, and Dettori reported to the stewards post-race that his Group 2 winning mount kept lugging in through the lane. Still, despite that, he stayed-on
without any significant encouragement to finish fourth,
beaten about three lengths. He broke his maiden over
12 furlongs on grass, and seems perfectly suited to get
back over the extended trip here.
Holy Mosques Cup (G1), a race won by Premium Tap
before his second in the 2007 Dubai World Cup, and
Johnny Murtagh, relatively unfamiliar with the horse,
riding on dirt, and the quirky style of racing in Saudi
Arabia, and Fly Down was arguably sent to the lead
and asked for his best too far from home. Ospina has
something to prove back aboard, the horse has never
been in better form, and the pace is likely going to be
strong, ensured by #8 Treble Jig. If Fly Down gets over
the Tapeta considering this new approach, he’s a unique
top pick in a race that lacks a standout.
Race 8 - #9 MUTAHADEE
TOM KEYSER
Race 7 - #11 FLY DOWN
Looking at the past performance lines from Saudi Arabia might confuse some, especially when you see that
Fly Down hasn’t been running from well off the pace.
Trainer Baden Al Subaie has adjusted his running style,
and it’s been done to good effect, winning the Group 2
(Saudi) Crown Prince Cup over 12 furlongs, by 5.5. In
Saudi Arabia, there are only several major owners of
horses, and team tactics are often employed in these top
races. Several horses often go out to ensure a strong
pace, and Fly Down, now settling towards the front of
the tracking group, slowly progressed into contention
and ran away when set down just more than a quarter
mile from home. Camilo Ospina was in the saddle that
day. Now, fast forward to the Custodian of the Two
The first three finishers from the $5 million Dubai Duty
Free (G1) all start in this race, but this Mike deKocktrained, relatively unexposed, 4-year-old has been
dazzling in two starts this season at Meydan. In his first
race off a four month layoff, Mutahadee sizzled home
over today’s 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8 Miles) trip,
running his final furlong in 10.54 seconds, according
to Trakus. He defeated stablemate Viscount Nelson,
who came back to win the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort in his
next start. The son of Encosta De Lago toyed with the
competition next time out, catapulting from 11th after
six furlongs to the lead with an explosive move around
the far turn, while running on the standside rail, covering
more ground than the next four finishers, and essentially
going the final furlong eased up. He was 6-5 in his last
start, but figures a much higher price on Saturday. If he
handles the increase quality competition, many of whom
are prepping for the $5 million prize, he stands to be an
overlay off his recent performances.
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THINGS TO WATCH IN SELECT RACES
Race
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Mahab Al Shimaal
The sprint races have not been
overly fast this year at Meydan,
but #12 Krypton Factor won the
fastest, clocking a 1:10.51 in his
January 26th win over a field of
14. He was making that start off
five days rest, and then wheeled
back a week later to just miss
in the Group 3 Al Shindagha
Sprint. If he gets an uncontested
early gallop, he will be the one
to catch, but also potentially set
it up for a closer, like #5 Global
City.
Race
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Race
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By Pat Cummings, DubaiRaceNight.com
Race
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Race
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Meydan Sprint
Burj Nahaar
Dubai City of Gold
Maktoum Challenge - R3
Very strong internal quarters, from
the three-eighths pole to the furlong pole have often told the tale
in these races this year, and #7
Nocturnal Affair is a striking example. He ran 21.18 seconds
when closing from ninth to second over this trip in January, and
then won two weeks ago with off
a similar, but slower move. #8
Prohibit might not have looked
great last time, but this Group 1
winner over five furlongs had a
similar performance last year at
Meydan and came back to win
second off the layoff over course
and distance.
#2 Dux Scholar is untested on
synthetic surfaces, but was the
only horse to make meaningful
ground behind a brutally slow
pace in the Zabeel Mile (G2)
last week, clocking the fastest
final quarter in 23.39 seconds
when longshot Do It All did just
that. He now goes third off the
layoff for trainer Herman Brown,
who was a winner on last year’s
Dubai World Cup preview card,
taking a horse more proven on
grass and grabbing the trophy
in the Mahab Al Shimaal with
Bankable.
Monterosso, who races in Saturday’s seventh race and was third
in last year’s Dubai World Cup,
won this race last year off a layoff. He was the only quality runner likely to be close to the pace,
and held off all-comers late to
see out the prize. In the 2012
edition, pace is tough to come
by, with only #8 Cavalryman
likely to go towards the front.
The more he slows it down, the
tougher it is going to be to close.
It would be shocking if #8 Treble
Jig doesn’t go to the front and
try to make all, and as a result,
could really set it up for the
classier runners to come from off
the pace. Question marks exist
on most all of these runners in
a race that, last year, was won
by Twice Over. The last two
runnings of this race have been
won from post 13 (2010 – Red
Desire, 2011 – Twice Over).
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WHAT TO EXPECT ON SUPER SATURDAY AT MEYDAN
By Pat Cummings, DubaiRaceNight.com
Favorites won three of the seven thoroughbred races on the then Super Thursday
program last year (Dubai Wold Cup preview night was moved from Thursday to
Saturday this year), but several short prices failed.
• Presvis was 4-5 in the Jebel Hatta and could only manage third.
• Musir was 6-5 in the Maktoum Challenge– R3 and beaten a the late charge
from Twice Over.
• Simon De Montfort did not finish when 8-5 in the Dubai City of Gold.
The shortest prices of the day, however, did win, when Reem took the Al Bastakiya
at 3-5 and Mendip won the Burj Nahaar at 1-2.
In the 2010 prep races, no Super Thursday winners were favored, and Cat Junior,
winner of the Burj Nahaar, has been the biggest priced winner in the last two “Super” meetings, paying $73.40.
ANDREW WATKINS
2011-2012 Meydan season - Tapeta - Winners’ running style
It pays off on Dubai World Cup night to pay attention to Super Saturday - No
horse to win on any of the last four Super Thursday/Saturday races has come back
to win on the Dubai World Cup program, however, seven different winners from the
major prep races have gone on to win on the big night
2008
2008
2009
2010
UAE Derby winner Honour Devil: 2nd – Al Bastakiya
Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Big City Man: 2nd – Mahab Al Shimaal
Dubai Duty Free winner Jay Peg: 2nd – Jebel Hatta
Dubai World Cup winner Gloria De Campeao: 2nd – Maktoum
Challenge R3
2010 Dubai Duty Free winner Al Shemali: 6th – Maktoum Challenge R3
2010 Godolphin Mile winner Calming Influence: 3rd – Burj Nahaar
2011 Dubai Duty Free winner Presvis: 3rd – Jebel Hatta
While Super Saturday preps are important, experience at Meydan is significantly
more important than not. In the last four Dubai World Cups, 17 of 26 thoroughbred
winners made their last start in Dubai.
DISTANCE
Sprints
Middle
Routes
1200-1400
1600
1900-2200
MADE ALL
2
1
0
RAN FORWARD
7
2
7
MIDPACK
2
5
8
CLOSER
1
4
4
2011-2012 Meydan season - Turf - Winners’ running style
DISTANCE
Sprints
Middle
Routes
1000-1400
1600-2000
2400-2800
MADE ALL
2
1
0
RAN FORWARD
2
3
3
MIDPACK
6
6
0
CLOSER
2
5
1