MONTEROSSO LANDS DUBAI WORLD CUP FOR GODOLPHIN

Click above to watch Monterosso winning the Dubai World Cup (G1)…
(Image : Virendra Saklani/Gulf News - Footage : Dubai Racing Meydan)

US$10,000,000 DUBAI WORLD CUP (Group 1)
Meydan, All-Weather, 2000m
31 March 2012

Master of Hounds (Kingmambo) won the World Cup break from the inside stall, but was quickly passed by Transcend (Jpn) (Wild Rush), the 2011 runner-up, as Capponi (Ire) (Medicean) loomed up to make the Japanese raider work on the engine. So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral) slotted in perfectly and enjoyed the run of the race from third, as Monterosso (GB) (Dubawi) was three wide in fifth, but in touch. Game On Dude (USA) (Awesome Again), expected to be a pace presence, was a touch slow to begin and was given rein from jockey Chantal Sutherland to run up into contention outside Monterosso midway up the backstretch. Capponi wrested command from a spent Transcend as they reached the second turn and it was soon clear that Godolphin blue would dominate, as Monterosso crept a bit closer going ominously well. The two 5-year-olds raced on even terms approaching the final furlong, but Monterosso was always doing the better and won comfortably from Capponi, Planteur (Ire) (Danehill Dancer) and So You THink (NZ) (High Chaparral), with the recently retained jockey Mickael Barzalona standing up straight in the irons to salute the crowd. “I couldn’t believe when no one was coming after me. This is a dream,” the 19-year-old Barzalona commented. “I have no words to describe what I feel right now.” And how about his celebratory pose, similar to the one following his Epsom Derby score last year? “I just had to. I had no choice.”

Home-bred but raced by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum and trainer Mark Johnston at two and three, Monterosso landed the G2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2010 before a fourth to Cape Blanco (Ire) (Galileo) in that year’s G1 Irish Derby. Unplaced in two subsequent runs, he was transferred to Godolphin last season and made two starts at the Carnival, defeating stablemate Cavaldos Blues (Fr) (Lando) in the G2 Dubai City of Gold Stakes. That event serves as a prep for the Sheema Classic, but Monterosso was re-routed for the World Cup and took third, beaten 3/4 of a length for the whole pot. He went missing the balance of 2011 and resumed in the G1 Maktoum Challenge Round 3, coming home fourth to Capponi in a race he was certain to need.

Some 11 years ago, Sheikh Mohammed watched as Dubai Millennium (GB) (Seeking the Gold) spread-eagled the World Cup field at Nad al Sheba. Yesterday, he shared a robust embrace with bloodstock advisor John Ferguson and wasn’t immune to a few fist pumps of his own following the win. “We’re absolutely delighted,” Ferguson offered. “You couldn’t get much better than that, could you? It’s wonderful for everybody. The trainer’s a rising star and the jockey, and the owner’s good too. This horse was third in the DWC last year so he was legitimate. Personally, it was a question of whether he needed another race to be ready.” The parentage of the winner is also not lost on connections. Admitted Racing Manager Simon Crisford, “Being a grandson of Dubai Millennium is massively important. Our greatest moments in horse racing with Godolphin were with Dubai Millennium so it’s fantastic.”

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

THE WAR IS OVER, BUT THE WAR IS ON

Click above to watch the 2012 Dubai World Cup TVC..
(Image and Footage : Dubai Media)

DUBAI WORLD CUP
“We’re all in for a helluva night.”

Racing fans around the world must’ve been bewildered when, about eight years ago, Dubai’s Ruler, Sheikh Mohammed announced through his deputies that he and his brothers would no longer be patronising the stallions of their arch rivals, John Magnier’s Coolmore group, nor buying their progeny at the yearling sales. Although no official reasons were given, the grapevine had it (strongly) that the Sheikhs’ noses were out of joint because the Irish seldom, if ever, bought the progeny of their stallions, and especially because they were said to have snubbed (or plainly put, “boycotted”,) the Dubai World Cup meeting by not sending their horses there. And when they did send one, exception was made that it was accompanied only by “the secretary.” If you know Tammy Twoomey, you’d hardly call her “the secretary”.

Of course, it happened when Coolmore were riding high, and sweeping all before them, and whilst their dominance wasn’t quite at the level it is today, (mainly because, at the time, the Arabs still possessed some competitive Coolmore-sired horses in their own armoury,) it was true that you seldom found a horse in the colours of any one of the Coolmore partners, Susan Magnier or Michael Tabor at the World Cup.

If you spoke to the Irish though, they’d proffer a simple explanation. Their horses were programmed for the European and North American seasons, and they needed a break. The winter was the perfect time. The Dubai World Cup, on the other hand, was something of an imposition on the racing programme, as it came late in the day in the traditional affairs of our sport, and we don’t like change, you know. But to be fair, it filled a great gap for racing fans all over the globe, because March happens to be a quiet time, particularly if you’re not European or North American. Besides, it injected a massive flow of funds into the game, to be welcomed no matter where it slots, and the lure of these riches is evident in the fields for this weekend.

There are five Group Ones and two Group Twos in Saturday’s World Cup extravaganza, and Coolmore have come to the party. Aidan O’Brien’s intent is especially evident in the Sheema Classic (Gr.1) ($5 million over 2410m), where he has engaged his two stars, Treasure Beach and St Nicholas Abbey. In the Duty Free, (also for $5 million over 1800m) he has Giant’s Causeway’s capable son, Await The Dawn, while he’s named his number one horse of last year, So You Think, for the $10 million World Cup itself. O’Brien has obviously decided to make a meal of the day with Wrote in the $2 million UAE Derby, and the team has another ticket in Mike de Kock’s Viscount Nelson in the Godolphin Mile.

What is evident though, is that things have either thawed between these two leviathans of the game, and Coolmore have taken the practical route, or it may be a case of “cash in while there is war and we have the cattle.” Of one thing there’s little doubt: the Irish are there for the dough as much as the sport, and we’re all in for a helluva night.

www.dubaiworldcup.com

MASTER OF HOUNDS DRAWS WORLD CUP POLE POSITION

Mike de Kock trained Master of Hounds wins the 10 March Jebel Hatta (Gr1)
(Photo : The National)

US$10,000,000 DUBAI WORLD CUP (Group 1)
Meydan, All-Weather, 2000m
31 March 2012

Mike de Kock-trained Master Of Hounds drew pole position of the 14 runners in the ballot for barrier positions for the world’s richest race, the $10-million Dubai World Cup, over 2000m on the synthetic track at Meydan on Saturday.

It is an ideal draw for Master Of Hounds, who was caught late in the UAE Derby at last year’s Dubai World Cup meeting when trained by Irishman Aidan O’Brien. Master Of Hounds led virtually throughout on the turf on Super Saturday at Meydan recently in his dress-rehearsal for the big night.

The connections of the horses did the draws for their runners at a function on Wednesday and Yousuf Al Sayegh, racing manager for owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, said: “There was only gates 1 or 14 left (when our name was pulled) and we preferred to be inside.”

Not so fortunate in the draw was fancied USA challenger Game On Dude, whose trainer Bob Baffert suffered a heart attack in Dubai earlier this week. Game On Dude, runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last year, was the last horse out the hat and the only remaining starting gate berth was No 14, the outside draw in the field. But his connections were far from dismayed.

Owner Bernie Schiappa said: “Perfect position. Lanni (part-owner of Game On Dude who passed away last year) was born on 14 March, so 14 is a special number for us. It’s perfect. The outside is fine with me. I can’t repeat what Bob said on the phone.” (Baffert is recovering rapidly in a Dubai hospital.)

Chantal Sutherland, who will ride Game On Dude, added: “It’s fine. Whatever happens, I’ll deal with it. He has a tendency to sometimes break slow and if he was to do that, it could put us in a bit of a predicament on the rail, so on the outside we have more options.”

Sutherland will become the first woman to ride in the Dubai World Cup when she partners Game On Dude in Saturday’s contest. Another USA challenger Royal Delta, who many pundits are tipping to win, got the ideal draw in No 7 stall. Her trainer Bill Mott said: “It’s the middle of the field. She’ll get a good look at the field from there and number seven has been our lucky number. We’d love for her to win. The reason we’re really here is to see if we can win. I can’t predict the outcome but she is doing really well - well enough to win a race like this.”

Royal Delta has all the credentials to become the first female runner to win the World Cup. She packs loads of ability and has won on both dirt and synthetic surfaces.

Comments from the connections of the other runners about the barrier draws:

Eishen Flash (Post 2) - trainer Hideaki Fujiwara said: “Actually I wanted to take the middle part of the gate, but those posts were all taken. I decided at the stage between the 2 and 9, and took 2. This horse showed good performance from the inside at home, so it’s okay.”

Zazou (Post 3) - owner Werner Heinz said: “I would have preferred to be more in the middle, but those places were taken. I think No 3 is very good. I think you’re better off inside than outside.”

So You Think (Post 4) - Keith Dalton, representing trainer Aiden O’Brien, said: “I was on the phone to Aidan and he chose the fourth position, so I guess we’re happy.”

Smart Falcon (Post 5) - trainer Ken Kozaki said: “It is an ideal draw. It is not too inside. It was what we wanted to draw.”

Planteur (Post 6) - owner Ahmad Al Falasi said: “We wanted somewhere between 4 and 7 so I was happy that 6 was available.”

Monterosso (Post 8) - Godolphin’s racing manager Simon Crisford said: “We talked to all of our jockeys in the race and they felt from stall 8 outward is the place to be. It can get very tight on the inside, especially if the pace is slow. If you miss the kick, you’re likely to be in trouble. The pace looks likely to come from Game On Dude in stall 14, which has panned out well for us. Monterosso can sit handy, he finishes his races well.”

Silver Pond (Post 9) - trainer Doug Watson said: “The gate is good. He can push on from there and hopefully travel around midfield. He doesn’t have the greatest turn of foot, so the idea will be to be just behind the pace and kick off the turn.”

Transcend (Post 10) - owner Koji Maeda said: “No 10 is what I wanted to draw because we can watch the other runners inside of us.”

Capponi (Post 11) - Crisford said: “Being on the outside is preferable to being on the rail. Capponi just needs a handy position to be out of trouble and to have a clear run. He likes to start building on it from the home bend and he should have his chance to do that from his draw. The question remains whether he is good enough but (jockey) Ahmed Ajtebi has built up a good rapport with the horse, who fully deserves his chance.”

Prince Bishop (Post 12) and Mendip (Post 13) - trainer Saeed bin Suroor said: “I spoke to Frankie Dettori before the draw and he said he would prefer between (stalls) 8 and 12 for Prince Bishop and we’ve drawn 12, so I’m happy with that. I wanted him to be relaxed and happy, so I think being out wide is best for him. Mendip would also be best being out wide and I’m happy with his position.”

Extract from Mike de Kock Racing

DUBAI WORLD CUP 2012 : FINAL FIELD

Mike de Kock trained Master of Hounds wins the 10 March Jebel Hatta (Gr1)
(Photo : The National)

US$10,000,000 DUBAI WORLD CUP (Group 1)
Meydan, All-Weather, 2000m
31 March 2012

FINAL FIELD

#	Horse	Kg	OR	Jockey	Trainer
1	MASTER OF HOUNDS (USA)	57.0	115	Christophe Soumillon	Mike de Kock
2	EISHIN FLASH (JPN)	57.0	120	Christophe Lemaire	Hideaki Fujiwara
3	ZAZOU (GER)	57.5	118	Oliver Peslier	Waldemar Hickst
4	SO YOU THINK (NZ)	57.0	126	Joseph O’Brien	Aidan O’Brien
5	SMART FALCON (JPN)	57.0	118	Yutaka Take	Ken Kozaki
6	PLANTEUR (IRE)	57.0	122	Ryan Moore	Marco Botti
7	ROYAL DELTA (USA)	55.0	119	Jose Lezcano	William Mott
8	MONTEROSSO (GB)	57.0	121	Mickael Barzalona	Mahmoud Al Zarooni
9	SILVER POND (FR)	57.0	117	Jonh Murtagh	Doug Watson
10	TRANSCEND (JPN)	57.0	121	Shinji Fujita	Takayuki Yasuda
11	CAPPONI (IRE)	57.0	122	Ahmed Ajtebi	Mahmoud Al Zarooni
12	PRINCE BISHOP (IRE)	57.0	116	Lanfranco Dettori	Saeed bin Suroor
13	MENDIP (USA)	57.0	115	Silvestre De Sousa	Saeed bin Suroor
14	GAME ON DUDE (USA)	57.0	122	Chantal Sutherland	Bob Baffert

Correct as at 27 March 2012

www.dubaiworldcup.com

SUPER SATURDAY : 3 FROM 8 FOR DE KOCK AND BROWN

Click above to watch Master of Hounds winning the Jebel Hatta (Gr1)
(Image : The National - Footage : Dubai Racing Meydan)

“SUPER SATURDAY”
Meydan, 10 March 2012

South African trainers took three of the eight races carded at Meydan on “Super Saturday” - the race meeting billed as a dress rehearsal for the richest day in racing, the Dubai World Cup later in the month.

South African champion conditioner Mike de Kock saddled two winners and his compatriot Herman Brown one.

De Kock’s highlight of the day was the win by Master Of Hounds in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta.

South African jockey Kevin Shea made all on the four-year-old, runner-up in last year’s UAE Derby for Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien and, remarkably, recording only a second career win on his 13th career start.

Shea said: “From the widest draw, Mike gave me the option of going on if I could and after talking to Johnny Murtagh who knew the horse from Ireland it seemed the obvious option.

“I was always happy and he ran on well. I do not know where Mike will go with him but the Duty Free is one choice or perhaps the World Cup itself.”

Belgian Jockey Christophe Soumillon had earlier helped De Kock win the Al Bastakiya with Mickdaam, who started his career in the UK with Richard Fahey. In the 1900m contest, Soumillon was content to bide his time on the winner behind a frantic early pace but once he eased his mount to the front a furlong out he never looked in danger.

De Kock said: “We have always believed that he would be better over this kind of trip and he will probably stay further in time.”

De Kock’s major disappointment of the meeting was the failure of Bold Silvano to fire in the Maktoum Challenge after the former Vodacom Durban July winner got his tongue over the bit.

Herman Brown visited the winner’s enclosure after jockey Royston Ffrench made all the running on Mikhail Glinka in the Group 2 Dubai City Of Gold over 2400m on turf.

Capponi was a surprise winner of the concluding round of the Maktoum Challenge, the first thoroughbred Group 1 race ever staged in the UAE outside Dubai World Cup night.

Godolphin’s Dubai Millennium, Street Cry and Electrocutionist all won this race and then the Dubai World Cup and trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni will be hoping to repeat the trick with Capponi who won comfortably under jockey Ahmed Ajtebi, stalking the pace before sending his mount for home three furlongs out.

Ajtebi said: “I knew he would stay well and was happy to commit him for home a long way out. We went pretty quick up front but he stayed on very well. Obviously Sheikh Mohammed, Mahmood and Simon Crisford will need to decide where he goes but the World Cup must be an option.”

Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor and jockey Frankie Dettori combined to win the Group 3 Burj Nahaar with African Story. Never far off the pace, Dettori sent his mount to the front over a furlong out and skipped clear of Snaafy and hot favourite Musir, who is trained by De Kock.

Dettori said: “This horse is improving fast and I thought he was my best chance on the night. He travelled well and quickened nicely and I guess the Godolphin Mile will be the next step.”

There was a thrilling finish to the 5f conditions race on turf with Invincible Ash and jockey Jamie Spencer leading home an Irish 1-2-3 from Sole Power and Nocturnal Affair. The winner will now run in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in which she was fourth last year according to trainer Mick Halford who said: “She bounced back to form last time and World Cup night has always been the target - she was a bit unlucky last year.”

Bahrain’s Fawzi Nass is the owner/trainer of Krypton Factor who was able to reverse the form of the Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint with the David Barron-trained Hitchens over the same 1200m tapeta course and distance in the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal.

Jockey Kieren Fallon rode the winner and Nass said: “We always thought he was a good sprinter and he has proved that. Hopefully all roads lead to the Golden Shaheen on the big night.”

Extract from Racing Post