Mike de Kock's Abingdon stable swings into gear today when the South African trainer sends out three runners around the world.
De Kock has personally overseen the final touches to the challenge of River Jetez in tonight's Beverley D in Arlington, where the game mare lines up against 10 runners.
The eight-year-old put in a scintillating piece of work on Thursday when she covered five furlongs in 51 seconds, kicking for home to register the final furlong in 12 seconds on ground described as yielding. Owned by Barbara and Cedrick Amm, the feisty daughter of Jet Master was given a prep run at Newmarket, England, last month but is ready to run in the US$750,000 (Dh2.75 million) contest that has been her target since she finished second to Prevsis in the Dubai Duty Free on Dubai World Cup night.
"The only time she gives us a little trouble is when they go to put the saddle on her. Once the saddle is on, she's all business. She gets focused," Barbara Amm said.
Musir and Mahbooba represent the stable in England with Musir facing 11 rivals including Godolphin's Delegator in the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury. Mahbooba is in action at Newmarket and faces five other rivals, three of which are trained by Godolphin.
"We never really had big plans for England," said Steve Jell, De Kock's assistant. "This was more about giving the horses a summer and a bit of a break to get them ready for Dubai.
"Musir has run behind some good horses this year and in Hong Kong Christophe [Soumillon] dropped his whip when he was third to Xtension.
"He's almost there."
