Saeed bin Suroor will test the waters to see whether his stable star African Story can act on dirt once again after the Dubai World Cup winner headed the cast for Saturday's concluding round of the Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan Racecourse.
African Story received a mighty amount of kickback when chasing Capital Attraction around the rail when seventh in the second round of the Al Maktoum Challenge last month.
Immediately after the race, Bin Suroor suggested a return to turf might be in order, but with Godolphin’s World Cup cupboard decidedly threadbare, the Quoz trainer will hand the eight-year-old chestnut gelding a second chance.
Since that race, the dirt surface at Meydan has bedded down enough for records to tumble at the region’s flagship course this past Thursday.
Price Is Truth, Pit Stop and Mashaaref all lowered record times, suggesting that the dirt is beginning to ride differently than at the beginning of the season, when the kickback was likened by horsemen to a spray of dust.
The change in conditions could well aid African Story.
African Story is the highest-rated horse on the eight-race Super Saturday card, and could be joined in the 2,000-metre Grade 1 race by stablemate Prince Bishop, who was edged out of the second round of the Al Maktoum Challenge by Frankyfourfingers, who also has been entered.
Godolphin's Marmoom Stables scooped the Dubai World Cup with Monterosso in 2012, and trainer Charlie Appleby has entered Uruguayan Triple Crown winner Sir Fever.
The unbeaten colt also holds an entry for the Bastikiya, a traditional feeder race for the UAE Derby.
However, that contest has come up markedly short, with trainer Mike de Kock’s Ajwad and Mubtaahij, in addition to Ahmad bin Harmash’s Intenser, the only other entries.
The Jebel Hatta is the other Group 1 race on the card, and Vercingetorix dominates the entry after his easy win in the Rashidiya.
Vercingetorix could take on Godolphin’s rejuvenated Hunter’s Light as well as Doug Watson’s handicap winner Limario in the 1,800m race.
Of all the races on Super Saturday, it is the Meydan Classic that could be the most explosive.
De Kock unwraps his crack South African sprinter Via Africa, who will make her Meydan debut with an eye to racing in the Quoz Sprint on March 28.
Via Africa won three Grade 1 races in South Africa before she underwent the long quarantine process to reach the UAE, and De Kock has long been working towards Saturday’s US$175,000 (Dh643,000) event with the five-year-old filly.
Meydan regular Sole Power could also make his seasonal bow in Dubai.
Edward Lynam’s eight-year-old gelding had a busy campaign in 2014 with eight starts, which included wins in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes and the Nunthorpe Stakes.
Elsewhere, Brendan Powell's Dark Emerald will remain in Dubai and will be aimed at the Godolphin Mile.
Dark Emerald has raced exclusively on turf here this season, and narrowly failed to add to his two victories when he chased home Safety Check in the Zabeel Mile on Thursday.
Dark Emerald was due to return to Britain today, but his owners have had a change of heart and will try to chase Dubai World Cup night riches on dirt.
“He’s still thriving and it’s worth a go,” trainer Brendan Powell said. “He deserves to take his chance and we may not get the chance again. It’s dirt first time, but he is versatile on ground and we have four weeks to get him used to it.”
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