Zabeel Stables handler Satish Seemar who will be without the magic of Reynaldo this time has remained with his only hope - Surfer - in the Godolphin Mile Grade-2 the second event of the nine-race-card on the Dubai World Cup night. Reynaldo the wizard was ruled out of the $2m Dubai Golden Shaheen Grade 1 the race that has won on the All Weather track two years ago.

Apart from the overseas opponents Surfer has to face the challenge of the climbing star Tamarkuz from the in-form stables of the champion trainer Musabah Al Muhairi in the famous blue silks of Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minsiter of Finance. “Surfer is an honest horse and has been training very well” said the former champion trainer Satish Seemar. “It’s the first time the two horses meet against each other and the best horse should win” he added.

Meanwhile Tamarkuz who was originally destined for the $10m Dubai World Cup Grade 1 has been redirected by the owner to the mile contest on that he lacks the stamina for the extra two furlongs.

“Tamarkuz has been working very well and there’s nothing to worry about” said Musabah Al Muhairi who was crowned champion trainer for the second time following his double at Jebel Ali Racecourse on Friday. The only defeat that Tamarkuz has suffred was by the Doug Watson-trained unbeaten horse Faulkner over a seven furlong handicap event at Meydan.

Unfortunately Faulkner was ruled out of the Godolphin Mile after injury and the Red Stables were remained with Lyal as the only representative in the trace. Lyal was twice beaten by Tamarkuz and he needs to dig deeper in order to improve his chances in the trophy.

Al Muhairi commented: “I believe the seven furlongs distance was too short for my horse. Tamarkuz has also improved a lot since his first start of the season and developed a very good turn of foot. There’s no doubt that the field is not that easy but my horse has the class to make his mark in the race.”

But Surfer has won two of his three starts in the season. After beating Frankyfourlegs by more than two lengths on seasonal debut in the first leg of the Al Maktoum Challenge Gr-2 before finishing fourth to the same opponent in the extended distance of the second round of the series. He was beaten by a length and a half in a tougher opposition.

Earlier Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum noted that Tamarkus is a front runner and needs to run more tactical races to qualify for the Dubai World Cup ten-furlong distance and until that time Musabah Al Muhairi wil remain without a second runner in the big race after Snaafy in 2009.

Epiphaneia (Japan) trains for the Dubai World Cup at the Meydan Racecourse on Monda. — KT photo by Juidin Bernarrd

Gabriel happy with small field

For the Dubai Racing Club CEO Frank Gabriel the small field of the 20th running of the $10m Dubai World Cup Grade-2 is convincing and they are happy with it the top official said during the morning track work on Sunday.

“We have top two US performers California Chrome and Lea. California Chrome is the Horse of the Year in America and has won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.

“From Japan we have the winner of Japan Cup on dirt alongside compatriot Hokko Tarumae. “The Godolphin pair African Story and Prince Bishop have both performed very well in the second and third rounds of the Al Maktoum Challenge. In the final round Prince Bishop closed very fast on African Story in a very good performance” he said.

“Yes it takes time to have the best field after making changes and we have just introduced a new surface. But it’s a move for the future” he said.

Regarding the strong field for the Dubai Sheema Classic which could even stronger than the main feature itself Gabriel said: “The turf races are always stronger because all racing in UK Hong Kong Japan and elsewhere is on turf. The $6m prize-money for the Dubai Sheema Classic and Dubai Turf which carries the same purse must have attracted the quality turf horses and this is the great thing of the Carnival.”

“We have a very good programme for everyone and there’s something to feel proud about in the week which we believe it’s going to be great.

“We still have some work to do in the programme. These are almost final touches of the programme and we are looking forward for a good show” he said.