Godolphin to send out 22 runners as Dubai World Cup Carnival continues at Meydan

Royal Blues have a strong presence in six of the seven races at Dubai racecourse

Godolphin's Art Du Val, seen here winning a race at Meydan Racecourse on February 14, 2019. Erika Rasmussen for The National

Godolphin has 22 runners spread across six of the seven races on Week 2 of the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan on Friday.

The highlight of the meeting is the Group 2 prizes, Al Rashidiya and Al Fahidi Fort, in which the Royal Blues have a strong line-up with five and four runners, respectively.

The five Godolphin contenders in the Al Rashidiya include the track-and-trip winner Art Du Val, one of the three runners in the race for Charlie Appleby.

The Newmarket Listed winner Highland Avenue and Royal Fleet, who makes his Carnival debut having won four of his five starts in the UK, are the two others.

“Art Du Val proved a consistent horse in Dubai last year and we gave him the summer off with another season at the Carnival in mind,” Appleby said of the six-year-old No-Nay-Never gelding.

“He goes into this race in good order and will be very competitive if he brings his A-game.

“Highland Avenue started his three-year-old career in good form but was disappointing on his two most recent starts.

“He has been gelded since and we are looking to rekindle some of his old spark. We feel that track conditions at Meydan will suit and this will hopefully give us a gauge for the rest of the Carnival.

“Royal Fleet has progressed through the handicap ranks and we are testing the water at this level. He has a profile that is going the right way and we feel that stepping up to nine furlongs could potentially produce more improvement.”

Saeed bin Suroor relies on Cambridgeshire handicap victor Bedouin’s Story and Desert Fire in the race.

“Bedouin’s Story continued to show some very strong form in the UK last year, winning the Cambridgeshire and finishing second in the Group 3 Darley Stakes,” he said.

“He has been doing well out in Dubai and this looks a good starting point for his year.

“Desert Fire always seems to run his best races as a fresh horse. He looks to be in good condition and has run well over this distance in the past.”

In the Al Fahidi Fort, Appleby has Naval Crown and La Barrosa while Bin Suroor relies on last year’s winner, Land Of Legends, and Storm Damage.

“Naval Crown showed good, solid form as a three-year-old and has enjoyed a nice break ahead of the Carnival,” Appleby said of the four-year-old Dubawi colt.

“He looks great and will obviously be very competitive if he runs up to his best form.

“We were pleased with La Barrosa’s first start of the winter earlier this month and he has definitely come forward for the outing. We feel that dropping back to seven furlongs is going to suit, although he needs to overcome his wide draw in stall 12.”

Bin Suroor’s Land Of Legends is bidding for a repeat success in the race and also has Storm Damage in a race Godolphin has won five times in the past seven years.

“Land Of Legends has been improving with every piece of work,” the Emirati said of the Iffraaj gelding.

“He won this race on his first start of the year in 2021 and we are hoping for another good effort.

“Storm Damage ran well in the UK last season and I have been pleased with him out in Dubai. This distance will suit and he should run well.”