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2012 Dubai World Cup Workouts


Jockey Chantal Sutherland will ride Game on Dude on Saturday.
Date: 03/27/2012

Wednesday and Thursday morning in Dubai, entrants for the $10 million Dubai World Cup (G1) and its rich undercard were at Meydan Racecourse on both the main Tapeta track and the turf course for some final work before the big night on Saturday. In contrast to Monday, the sun was out and the temperature hit the mid 80's, as the mercury is expected to approach 100 later in the week. The races will be run Saturday evening (Saturday morning in North America), with the World Cup going to post at 9:40pm local time (1:40pm ET). In North America the card will be broadcast live on TVG in the U.S. and HPI-TV in Canada.

2012 Dubai World Cup entries
Friday Dubai World Cup workout photos
Tuesday Dubai World Cup workout photos
Sunday and Monday Dubai World Cup workout photos
2011 Dubai World Cup results and photos

Here are photos and comments for 26 horses that galloped Wednesday and Thursday. Please click the smaller photos to see a larger version.

Royal Delta (World Cup) and Lucky Chappy (Derby) galloped 1 3/8 miles on Thursday. Royal Delta's trainer Bill Mott said, “It was just a regular gallop, nothing fancy. But she looked great to me. We wouldn’t change a thing. It looks like there is some good speed in the race—Game On Dude, Smart Falcon and Capponi. We could be in a stalking position just behind the leaders. Hopefully, we’re not far off them.” Lucky Chappy's trainer Graham Motion said, “As I read in a quote by Bob Baffert, this is one of the places where you take them over and you don’t know what to expect in the race—it’s so hard to evaluate. But I guess that’s one of the things that makes it so special.”

Zazou (World Cup) came onto the all-weather Wednesday for a slow canter. He was ridden by regular work rider Radich Hennig who said: “We went out onto the all-weather for a slow canter. Everything is good. The horse is in great form. He has eaten. He drinks a lot and has only lost five kilos.”

So You Think (World Cup) and the rest of his Ballydoyle stablemates emerged from quarantine Wednesday morning. The group walked 1 lap the wrong way and then cantered 1 lap the correct direction. Pat Keating, assistant to trainer Aidan O'Brien said, “They had a good look around and we are very happy.”

Planteur (World Cup) cleared quarantine Thursday and was out on the main track. Trainer Marco Botti said, “He did a lap round the course and seemed happy in his surroundings. He had a smooth journey over, travelled well and has drunk plenty of water. He looks fresh and well and his coat is nice and shiny. He will go back out on the racetrack tomorrow morning but it will be early as it is getting very hot.”

Game On Dude (World Cup) schooled in the starting gate without incident and then cantered 1 1/4 miles. Tim Yakteen, former assistant to Bob Baffert on hand to supervise said, "Today there’s a lot more energy. It’s good. They’re going to have a lot more going on race night as well.”

Treasure Beach (Sheema Classic) and the rest of his Ballydoyle stablemates emerged from quarantine Wednesday morning. The group walked 1 lap the wrong way and then cantered 1 lap the correct direction.

St Nicholas Abbey (Sheema Classic) and the rest of his Ballydoyle stablemates emerged from quarantine Wednesday morning. The group walked 1 lap the wrong way and then cantered 1 lap the correct direction.

Await The Dawn (Duty Free) and the rest of his Ballydoyle stablemates emerged from quarantine Wednesday morning. The group walked 1 lap the wrong way and then cantered 1 lap the correct direction.

Ambitious Dragon (Duty Free) was again one of the first on the Meydan track on Wednesday morning under Beverley Millard and lobbed around the all-weather surface in his own time as he has done since Monday. Content with the five time Group 1 winner’s preparation, Millard said: “He is in very good order. He looks great and feels great. He looks around here a little bit compared to his routine back home but he is on the correct lead leg going the left-handed way; we did some prep work going the other way back home.”

Wigmore Hall (Duty Free) worked 5/8 in 1:09 with trainer Michael Bell watching. Bell said, “He looks a lot fitter now and it was well documented that he was a lot heavier when he came out here this year. He is on really good terms with himself – he is squealing and is happy and seems in good shape on the track. They crawled in his prep run and he got shuffled back at a crucial stage. He needs a decent pace and luck in running but there doesn’t look as though there is a natural front-runner in the race, which is a bit of a nuisance, but hopefully with all of that money on offer something will go on. He was unlucky in the Dubai Duty Free last year and I am sure he will run well. It does look a tough race but I do think the owner will be getting a cheque, but whether it is the winner’s prize I am not sure.”.

California Memory (Duty Free) galloped on the turf on Thursday. Trainer Tony Cruz said, “He wore glue-on shoes last time in Hong Kong but we have shod him normally for this and he should run his heart ouut. The horse lost about 20 pounds on the flight over but he put it all back on very quickly. He loves it here and the turf track here has a good covering of grass that takes away any sting – it’s perfect ground. Saying that, I think he will go on anything. He’s a very genuine horse, when you ask him what you want he gives it to you; he waits on the signal from the jockey. If we can get him running in midfield I’ll be very happy.”

Rajsaman (Duty Free) was out for a gallop on the main track. Trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe said: “He was a new horse in the yard and this has been the aim all along. Hopefully he has improved with each start and can run a big race in a race we won in 2010!”

The Factor (Golden Shaheen) jogged 1 mile on the main track and schooled in the starting gate. “Bob says he’s the best mover he’s ever seen, in terms of his action,” said co-owner George Bolton. “We paid $250,000 for him and, at the time, that was a lot of money for a horse by a young sire like War Front.But he worked in 10-flat at the Barrett’s two-year-old sale. His whole advantage is the fact that he hardly touches the ground.”

Lucky Nine (Golden Shaheen) was out for a gallop on Wednesday. Trainer Caspar Fownes said, “He cantered nicely there this morning on the all-weather. He’s on the mend and I’m happy with his progress. We are still not sure what shoes he will wear in the race on Saturday but the main thing is that we have a runner and I think he is still a live chance.”

Russian Rock (Golden Shaheen) jogged on Wednesday for trainer Musabah Al Muhairi. Jockey Wayne Smith said: "Obviously this is a big step up in class against some top notch sprinters but our fellow has improved since he last ran over Saturday's course and distance when he won a handicap. The 7f has stretched him on his next two starts but he has shown bags of speed at Jebel Ali and I am looking forward to taking on the likes of Rocket Man."

Happy Dubai (Golden Shaheen) was out on the main track Thursday. Trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe said, “He was another real star at the 2011 Dubai World Cup Carnival and has run some good races again this season. He was very impressive when he won and has come back from Qatar in excellent form. Obviously it is a very good race but he has a nice low draw which should help.”

Wrote (Derby) and the rest of his Ballydoyle stablemates emerged from quarantine Wednesday morning. The group walked 1 lap the wrong way and then cantered 1 lap the correct direction.

Daddy Long Legs (Derby) and the rest of his Ballydoyle stablemates emerged from quarantine Wednesday morning. The group walked 1 lap the wrong way and then cantered 1 lap the correct direction.

Red Duke (Derby) cleared quarantine and was out on the main track Thursday. Trainer John Quinn said, “I am happy with him and everything is grand. He did an easy mile this morning and will do some more gentle work tomorrow. If he produces his best form from last year then he will have a good chance. His work at home has been good and his sire was a good horse on dirt and on grass.”

Burano (Derby), trainer Brian Meehan’s recent Meydan winner enjoyed a gentle spin around the main track under his regular work rider.

Richard's Kid (Mile) will make his final start for trainer Satish Seemar and then will return home to California to the barn of Bob Baffert. Seemar explained, "He came to us from Bob Baffert, for whom he finished seventh in the 2010 Dubai World Cup, to be aimed at the big race itself in which he was 12th last year. He ran well first time back this year but not as well on Super Saturday thus did not get into the 2012 Dubai World Cup. The mile is probably his minimum trip but he is a quality horse who has just not really been able to show his best on Tapeta. Therefore he will go back to Bob Baffert and hopefully be prepared for another tilt at the Breeders' Cup Classic, a race he was sixth in back in 2009."

Snaffy (Mile) comes to the Godolphin Mile off a 2nd place finish in the Burj Nahaar. Jockey Wayne Smith said, "That was his best run on the all-weather and it was a good effort. It is a strong race on Saturday with African Story impressing everybody last time and horses like Red Jazz who was third in it last year coming over but I am delighted to be on Snaafy and he should run well."

First City (Mile) was out on the main track for trainer Ali Rashid Al Raihe. Al Raihe said, “First City, as a filly, gets weight. She won nicely on her first start for us and is having a first race on all-weather. She works nicely enough on it and has a good draw."

Unusual Suspect (Gold Cup) goes in the longest race on Saturday night. On Tuesday he worked 1 mile in 1:49.30 with splits of 12.50, 24.50, and 37.60 seconds.

Barbican (Gold Cup) was out on the main track Thursday for trainer Alan Bailey, who said, "He will be my first runner out here and he has travelled exceptionally well. He has settled in fine and not left any food. He arrived on Monday and just did a gentle canter this morning over 6f. He is a horse who will never overdo himself and he idles when he gets to the front in a race. It does look a decent race but he loves a battle.”

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