Dubawi odds cut after Dubai trial triumph
The son of Dubai Millennium was a most impressive winner of a six-runner Godolphin contest, prompting William Hill to go 7-4 from 5-2 about his chances for the UltimatePoker.com 2000 Guineas at the end of the month.
The same firm now make him 4-1 favourite for the Vodafone Derby.
Partnered by Frankie Dettori, Dubawi showed a remarkable turn of foot in his mile spin on grass, leaving his rivals toiling when asked to quicken in the Dubai sunshine.
Dubawi was settled in fourth as Darragh O’Donohoe set a decent pace on Happy As Larry, with the blinkered Banchieri right up there under John Carroll.
Dettori always looked happy with his mount as he stalked Ted Durcan on Subpoena, while Kerrin McEvoy on Satchem and Seamus O’Gorman on Tasdeed were happy to sit out the back.
The field closed up as they entered the straight, with Banchieri going on briefly, but Dettori was able to ease his mount between the pacesetters and asked him to quicken just over two furlongs out.
The response was immediate, and was greeted with a sharp intake of breath by several of those watching in the stands, such was the acceleration he showed.
Dubawi soon went several lengths clear and galloped strongly all the way to the line to finish ahead of Tasdeed, who snatched second from Satchem in a photo.
The trial was watched by Sheikh Mohammed along with Sheikh Ahmed and Sheikh Maktoum, and the former rewarded Dubawi with a carrot for his efforts.
The colt had a good blow after the workout, as did his five rivals, and Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford was delighted with the performance.
He said: “We are all very pleased with that. It was a really nice racecourse gallop and he has done it very well indeed.
“He will have benefited for the work and should come on a fair bit for it. Hopefully it will have put him spot on for the 2000 Guineas.”
Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor added: “I was very happy with that effort and he has done it very nicely.
“He will have needed that as a piece of work and that should put him right for the Guineas.
“He has been in excellent form all winter and has been in great condition. He has a touch of class, but we know the Guineas is a tough race.
“However, we hope we have the right horse this year. And then, with any luck, we can aim him at the Derby, inshallah.”
Ladbrokes now go 5-2 about Dubawi’s Guineas chances from 3-1, while Coral have him on offer at 2s.
Meanwhile recent Kempton winner Clear Impression is among 19 entries for Saturday’s Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury.
The Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained filly, eyecatching winner of a maiden event at the Sunbury track just over a week ago, is currently a 20-1 shot with Ladbrokes for the UltimatePoker.com 1000 Guineas.
No less than 12 of the fillies in the Newbury trial - more familiar as the Fred Darling Stakes - are also entered in the Newmarket Classic.
They include Sir Michael Stoute’s Echelon, the Richard Hannon-trained Jewel In The Sand and Clive Brittain’s Extreme Beauty.
The Rahy filly disappointed in two starts in Dubai over the winter, but Brittain is hoping she will sparkle in a gallop this morning.
“She works tomorrow and all being well, she will go to Newbury,” he said.
“She wasn’t really suited by the track in Dubai but she has come back very well and the weather seems to have done her some good.”
Barry Hills’ Fillies’ Mile runner-up Maids Causeway is also entered, as is Ralph Beckett’s Penkenna Princess and Irish raider Slip Dance.
