DUBAI // The Godolphin trainer Mahmoud Al Zarooni believes there should be more stakes races restricted to fillies and mares during the Dubai World Cup Carnival as he prepares for Thursday's UAE 1000 Guineas Trial at Meydan Racecourse. Al Zarooni entered two fillies in the 1,400m contest yesterday in an effort to find one good enough to join Lovely Pass in the fillies' Classic on February 7. The UAE 1000 Guineas is one of only four stakes races in the Dubai World Cup Carnival programme that is restricted to fillies, from a total of 25. The Cape Verdi, a Group 2 contest over 1,800m which is run next Thursday, is the next one to be staged, followed by the UAE 1000 Guineas next month. The Balanchine, over 1,800m on turf, and the UAE Oaks over 1,900m are the only other races of their kind. "There has been talk about expanding the programme and I hope that is the case as we need more of these races," the Godolphin trainer said. "That's why we run everything in everything. Otherwise, you have to compete with the colts, which is very hard." Last season, Al Zarooni scared off much of the opposition in the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial by running Gamilati, a proven Group 2 winner. Gamilati beat only five runners when winning the trial, and only five runners again when denying stablemate Pimpernel in the real thing a month later. Such is Godolphin's stranglehold on the fillies division that they provide four of the 10 entries to the US$50,000 (Dh183,700) race. Al Zarooni has entered Music Chart and Kosika, while the Al Quoz operation of Godolphin colleague Saeed bin Suroor could be represented by Shuruq and Mar Mar, from a total entry of 10. "Music Chart won her maiden first time out at Newmarket and followed that up with a creditable fourth to Lovely Pass. She is working well and I am looking forward to seeing her run," Al Zarooni said. Follow us
