Just six days after Gamilati's stunning success in the UAE 1000 Guineas, Godolphin are again looking to dominate proceedings at Meydan Racecourse with 21 thoroughbreds gunning for a share of the US$1.17 million (Dh4.3m) up for grabs on tonight's card.
The Dubai-based operation have at least two horses carrying their royal blue silks in each race, with the second round of the Al Maktoum Challenge, the sixth race on the card, attracting five entrants from the private stables of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
And the two Emirati trainers, Saeed bin Suroor and Mahmood Al Zarooni, go head-to-head in the Group 2 race over 1,900 metres with both men believing they have a live chance of sending out the 14th winner of the contest to be trained in the UAE.
Bin Suroor has won round two of the Al Maktoum Challenge seven times, and although he also saddles Mendip and Pisco Sour it is Prince Bishop who carries the best hope.
The four year old was a recruit from Andre Fabre, the French trainer, but was disappointing last season both at Meydan, where he trailed in 10th behind Victoire Pisa in the World Cup, and in England.
The son of Dubawi was subsequently gelded, however, and after picking up a Listed race in England, bin Suroor's target of a run in tonight's Potlines Trophy handicap was shelved when he thrashed stablemate Spring Of Fame over 2,000 metres last month.
"We had high hopes for him last year but he was disappointing," said bin Suroor. "He managed to get his head back in front at Kempton, which did his confidence a lot of good."
Bin Suroor last won tonight's feature two years ago when Allybar scored to tee up a tilt at the Dubai World Cup. The horse was subsequently transferred to Al Zarooni when he was handed a training licence in the lead up to the world's richest race, and finished third to Gloria De Campeao.
Bin Suroor's best winner, though, was Moon Ballad, who used the race in 2003 as a launch pad for a successful assault on the World Cup and it is a path that Al Zarooni expects Dubai Prince to follow.
The four year old is another to be imported in to the Godolphin fold, having been trained by Dermot Weld in Ireland. After a breathing problem scotched hopes of success in the Group 1 Champion Stakes in England in October, when he finished last, Dubai Prince is on the comeback trail with Frankie Dettori on board and will race alongside stablemate Biondetti.
"We are aiming Dubai Prince at the last two rounds of the Maktoum Challenge with the hope he could be a World Cup horse," said Al Zarooni.
"I'm keen to get him on the track as he only ran twice for us after a setback ruled him out of the Classics in England. He showed at two that he was very good and we would like to think we have him back to that kind of form."
Top tips to avoid cyber fraud
Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:
1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.
2. After installing the latest OS version, keep it patched; this means repairing system vulnerabilities which are discovered after the infrastructure components are released in the market. The vast majority of attacks are based on out of date components – there are missing patches.
3. Multi-factor authentication is required. Move away from passwords as fast as possible, particularly for anything financial. Cybercriminals are targeting money through compromising the users’ identity – his username and password. So, get on the next level of security using fingertips or facial recognition.
4. Move your personal as well as professional data to the cloud, which has advanced threat detection mechanisms and analytics to spot any attempt. Even if you are hit by some ransomware, the chances of restoring the stolen data are higher because everything is backed up.
5. Make the right hardware selection and always refresh it. We are in a time where a number of security improvement processes are reliant on new processors and chip sets that come with embedded security features. Buy a new personal computer with a trusted computing module that has fingerprint or biometric cameras as additional measures of protection.
Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya
Directors: Amit Joshi and Aradhana Sah
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Dharmendra, Dimple Kapadia, Rakesh Bedi
Rating: 4/5
And Just Like That...
Director: Various
Stars: Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
FA CUP FINAL
Chelsea 1
Hazard (22' pen)
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
UAE athletes heading to Paris 2024
Equestrian
Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi, Abdullah Al Marri, Omar Al Marzooqi, Salem Al Suwaidi, and Ali Al Karbi (four to be selected).
Judo
Men: Narmandakh Bayanmunkh (66kg), Nugzari Tatalashvili (81kg), Aram Grigorian (90kg), Dzhafar Kostoev (100kg), Magomedomar Magomedomarov (+100kg); women's Khorloodoi Bishrelt (52kg).
Cycling
Safia Al Sayegh (women's road race).
Swimming
Men: Yousef Rashid Al Matroushi (100m freestyle); women: Maha Abdullah Al Shehi (200m freestyle).
Athletics
Maryam Mohammed Al Farsi (women's 100 metres).
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 1 (Carroll 82')
Leicester City 2 (Maddison 55', Tielemans 72')
Man of the match James Maddison (Leicester)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
