Dettori: Curlin is beatable
Frankie Dettori insists Jalil is capable of denting the lofty reputation of Curlin in Saturday’s Dubai World Cup at Nad Al Sheba.
Dettori takes the mount of Godolphin’s improving colt and was buoyed by the four-year-old’s victory in round one of the Al Maktoum Challenge earlier this month.
Despite Jalil’s unbeaten three-from-three record in Dubai this winter, the three-time World Cup-winning rider is acutely aware of the threat posed by Curlin, the American Horse of the Year.
“I have been very impressed by Curlin, but he is beatable, every horse is beatable,” stressed Dettori, "but if the Curlin of the Breeders’ Cup or Preakness Stakes turns up, then it is going to be very hard.
“He has had to travel a long way – it is different conditions on a different track. We have a good hand and we have to go out thinking we can beat him…It is still there in black and white that he is rated 11lb higher than us and that tells its own story.”
After costing the Godolphin operation €12.4m as a yearling, Jalil last year failed to impress on the turf in Britain.
However, the son of Storm Cat is slowly living up to his huge price tag.
“Jalil always had potential, he is a fantastic-looking horse – a little on the weak side – but he always had potential to become a good one,” added Dettori, who finished last on Discreet Cat in the 2007 World Cup.
“He seems to love the dirt and every time we have pulled the bar up he has rose to it and gone on.
“We haven’t got to the bottom of him yet, but he has had three challenges this year and every time he has come up with the goods. Now he has got a higher step to climb but he has got something more to give.”
Trainer Saeed bin Suroor accepts Curlin is the one to beat but is confident Jalil can continue on the upgrade.
He said: “Curlin is a star and you could say he is the best horse in the race coming from America. I have a lot of respect for him, but Jalil is an improving horse all the time. When I saw him last year I knew that he was a good age and he would do better.
“With time he has improved and improved his record – that shows you that the horse is doing very well.”
Godolphin also saddle Happy Boy, winner of a Nad Al Sheba Group Three in January, in the World Cup.
Despite Bin Suroor’s concerns he is a few weeks short of an ideal preparation, jockey Kerrin McEvoy hopes the Ski Champ colt can rise to the challenge.
“It was sensational when he won the Maktoum Challenge, he put up a fantastic effort to win by nine lengths,” said McEvoy.
“It is a step up running in the World Cup. He has run before in Group One in South America and ran fourth. I have only cantered him at home and he will have to be in 100% shape on Saturday.”
