Doug Watson has left no stone unturned in the lead-up to Polar River’s eagerly anticipated return to the track on Thursday.
The three-year-old filly put in a series of huge performances last season during the Dubai World Cup Carnival, but she could not quite cap her victories in the UAE 1,000 Guineas and Oaks when beaten by Japanese raider Lani in the UAE Derby on World Cup night in March.
Polar River is being aimed at Round 1 of the Al Maktoum Challenge on January 5, so in some ways on Thursday’s Dh225,000 feature Conditions race over 1,600 metres on dirt merely is a stepping stone to greater things.
See also:
• Paul Hanagan loses role as Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid's retained rider: 'It has been a privilege'
• RB Burn beats fancied Al Mourtajez to win Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown race
Last season’s champion trainer is expecting a solid performance from the mount of Pat Dobbs, however.
“I’ve got her pretty spot on for this,” Watson said. “We’re going in confident, but curious. I wouldn’t be taking her there otherwise.”
In terms of class Polar River is head and shoulders above her 11 rivals. To underline this the entry criteria are such that even as a three-year-old filly she still has to give weight to older, more battle-hardened runners such as Dhruba Selvaratnam’s Top Clearance, who will be ridden by nine-time Irish champion jockey Pat Smullen in the absence of the injured Chris Hayes.
Of course, training a 500kg thoroughbred racehorse that cannot tell you anything is an inexact science, and Watson got it wrong two weeks ago at Meydan’s opening meeting of the season.
Watson sent out Etijaah to saunter to an easy win in a 2,000m handicap, but on the same card Boarding Party put in a miserable effort in the 1,400m maiden.
Dobbs could offer no explanation for the run to the stewards afterwards and the post-veterinary examination offered up no clues, either.
The work track at Watson’s Red Stables was re-laid during the summer to render it a completely different surface to Meydan’s, which is one plausible reason for some of his horses underperforming on the night.
Watson has started the season in fine fettle, though, and following Meydan’s opening night he took a few key performers to work at the UAE’s flagship facility to work in preparation for on Thursday’s card.
Horses such as Tried And True, Wheatsheaf and Polar River all underwent a key gallop, but unlike last season when Polar River benefited from a 1,000m trial before her stunning victorious racecourse debut, she is without one this time around.
“I thought I had Boarding Party pretty close, to be honest,” Watson said. “He had put on 150kg since March and I felt like a bit of jerk when I came away from there.
“This race is not ideal for Polar River as she has to give weight away, but this gives her seven weeks to the Maktoum Challenge, whereas if she raced at Meydan on December 15 she would only have three.
“She is definitely stronger and more mature than last year, and is working with the same sort of enthusiasm.
“She hasn’t put on much weight in the summer but I’ve got her in the same condition as when she made her debut last year. I know that was a different class of race so we will see.”
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
