World Cup hopes set Meydan challenge
Dubai World Cup hopes get one last chance to stake their claims for the March 31 feature as they line up in the third round of the Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan.
The 10-furlong heat has produced three previous World Cup winners in Dubai Millennium (2000), Street Cry (2002) and Electrocutionist (2006) and will be run as a Group One for the time this term.
All three of those horses were trained by Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor and he saddles three of the 14 runners this year.
Frankie Dettori rides Prince Bishop, with Kieren Fallon on Mendip, who won the a round of the Al Maktoum Challenge in 2010 and round two this year.
Spring Of Fame steps up from handicap company and will be ridden by Johnny Murtagh.
Bin Suroor said: “All three are nice horses and deserve their chance – Mendip won well last time and he came out of that race in great form.
“This looks a better race than the second round but he is in good form at the moment and I am hopeful that he can run another nice race.
“Prince Bishop has been working very well and really impressed us when winning on his seasonal return.
“We are hoping he can run well but again this is a good race.
“Spring Of Fame is a tough horse who always tries his hardest. We need to give him a chance in a big race like this.”
Fellow Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni is doubly represented with Capponi and Monterosso, a winner on this night last year in the Dubai City Of Gold before finishing third in the Dubai World Cup.
Mickael Barzalona rides Monterosso, and Al Zarooni said: “Monterosso’s target has always been the Dubai World Cup and this is the obvious prep for him.
“He will almost certainly need the run as we want him spot-on in three weeks’ time for the big race.
“Capponi has shown that he is an improving horse this year and there are no other options for him.
“I wanted to take a chance with him in a Group race and see how he gets on.”
South African Mike de Kock has saddled the winner of this race twice before and saddles Irish Flame and Bold Silvano, who was a leading World Cup contender last year before being sidelined by injury.
He said: “Irish Flame just does not seem to act on the Meydan turf so we are trying him on (the all-weather).
“Bold Silvano we have always considered a World Cup horse and that has been his target all along.”
Former William Haggas inmate Green Destiny makes his debut for new handler Herman Brown in the race.
The Group Two Dubai City Of Gold is a trial for the Sheema Classic and two British-trained runners, James Given’s Indian Days and the Marco Botti-trained Joshua Tree, are due to take their chance.
Other British interest on the card includes Group One winners Margot Did and Prohibit tackling the Meydan Sprint, along with Inxile and Monsieur Joe.
Margot Did won the Nunthorpe at York last August but is having her first outing since subsequently disappointing in the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp.
“She will, I think, almost certainly improve for the run,” said trainer Michael Bell.
“Her draw is 15, which is fine, she’s very well and her form on adjusted figures is the best in the race.
“Her Nunthorpe run is rock-solid and bearing in mind how well she did as a three-year-old filly, which is a very difficult year for sprinters, she is smart and I’m very hopeful she’ll have a good year.
“She was wrong when she ran in the Abbaye and had a pretty troubled six weeks in the paddock when she came back, when she was up and down with colic.
“She’s not had the smoothest preparation, but she has really come right in the last month and will be bang-on come World Cup night.”
Haggas’ Sooraah takes in the Burj Nahaar, while Brian Meehan’s Burano in the Al Bastakiya and Iver Bridge Lad, Addictive Dream, Hitchens and Right To Dream in the Mahab Al Shimaal complete British interests on an informative card.
