Plans fluid for star Godolophin duo

Godolphin’s racing manager Simon Crisford issued a note of caution regarding the likely starting points for Casamento and Dubai Prince.

The pair feature prominently in the betting for the 2000 Guineas and are being trained for the race on April 30, but a final decision will not be made until they have returned to their Newmarket residence.

Neither Casamento nor Dubai Prince featured among a string of almost 40 horses shown off at Godolphin’s luxurious Al Quoz training base, nestled beneath the Dubai skyscrapers, but Crisford explained they were in good health.

“We get back early next month and we’ll let them acclimatise. By the Craven meeting we’ll pretty much know what we’re doing, although we are not going to make any definite commitments until we get right on top of the race,” he said.

The pair raced in Sheikh Mohammed’s silks for Irish trainers last season, but have now transferred into the care of Mahmood Al Zarooni.

Casamento ran four times for Mick Halford, culminating in a powerful success in the Racing Post Trophy.

“He’s had a good winter in Dubai,” said Crisford.

“With him, he’s obviously in the Guineas. Whether he runs there or goes for the Dante, that decision will be made much closer to the time.

“He has got the speed for the Guineas, I’m not saying he hasn’t got that, but we’re in the fortunate position that we’ve got two possibilities for the Guineas and what we are going to try to do when we get back to Europe is to pick the right races for the right horses.”

The unbeaten Dubai Prince, winner of the Group Three Killavullan Stakes, has been of interest to some after an auspicious period with Dermot Weld.

Crisford added: “He has got a good turn of foot and he will stay, but he’s got plenty of speed to run over a mile.

“It’s whether we keep to that trip or step him up – personally I think he’ll probably start off over a mile.

“They are all in good shape, that’s the main thing.”

Another of the colts, Saamidd, looked a star in the making in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster but was a bitter disappointment when turned out again in the Dewhurst.

But concerns over his temperament may have been reduced after he was spotted cantering around Al Quoz on Wednesday.

“He was very reluctant going into the stalls in the Dewhurst,” Crisford said.

“Something wasn’t right and he didn’t like the soft ground.

“He’s not going to be racing too much on soft ground, but right now he’s as forward in his training as we’d like him to be.

“It seemed strange as, leading into the race, we were all saying how placid he was and how calm.

“But suddenly, on the day, he went off.”