Horse racing in focus: Richard Mullen does not have to teach an old Reynaldothewizard new tricks

This has been a stellar season for Doug Watson but in the 22 years that the American has been training in Dubai rarely has the master of Red Stables had a more exciting horse than Polar River, writes Geoffrey Riddle.

Reynaldothewizard, shown here ridden by Richard Mullen and winning the Al Shindagha Sprint, will be back in action at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on Thursday. Pawan Singh / The National

There is plenty left in the tank of old stager Reynaldothewizard.

That is the opinion of jockey Richard Mullen, who is looking forward to the 10-year-old sprinter making his return to the racecourse in the Dubai Stakes at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday.

Reynaldothewizard has been off since he denied old rival Krypton Factor by a neck in a driving finish to the Al Shindagha Sprint in February, with Speed Hawk back in third.

All three renew rivalry in the $US150,000 (Dh550,900) dirt event on Thursday night, although Speed Hawk enjoys race fitness after he was left for dead on turf by the impressive Ertijaal last week.

Reynaldothewizard was forced to miss the opportunity of reclaiming his 2013 title in the Dubai Golden Shaheen in March because of an abscess on his throat.

Trainer Satish Seemar considered running him in the $US2m dirt dash, but estimated at the time that at 80 per cent fit his charge would not have done himself justice.

Horse racing in focus:

As a result Reynaldothewizard has enjoyed the time off and is fresh as a veteran of his vintage can be ahead of what could transpire to be a battle royal with Muarrab, who he beat by nearly four lengths in the Listed contest 12 months ago.

“He may be ten years of age but he still thinks he is a two-year-old,” Mullen said.

“I ride all of his fast work and he looks well, moves well and is bucking and kicking, which is all you need to worry about.

“When you see him in the mornings you would never pick him out as a Group 1 winner, and we deliberately work him with the lesser lights in the yard to give him confidence.

“As he isn’t the best work horse there is a concern then that he may not be as good as before, but the only way we are going to find out is by racing him.

“He does have a good record fresh and he obviously will improve for the run.”

This will be Reynaldothewizard’s 18th run at the UAE’s leading racecourse, and such is his renown that last month Philip Parham, the British ambassador, paid a visit to Zabeel Stables and was granted an audience with the bay gelding.

He is one of only a handful of horses left running in the yellow and red silks of Zabeel Racing International after the death of Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed last year.

Surfer ran fifth in the first round of the Al Maktoum Challenge last week, while Tiz Now Tiz Then also runs tonight in the Mina Rashid. Spin Cycle has yet to be seen this season but is also a ten-year-old.

Reynaldothewizard faces a a tricky draw in gate eight, two in from Krypton Factor who is the other former Golden Shaheen winner in the field and who is drawn widest in gate 10.

Muarrab, who has won eight of his last nine starts for Musabah Al Muhairi and is reportedly better than ever, is perfectly placed to emerge from the second gate.

Seemar’s other runner, Indianapolis, ran Shared Belief, one of America’s best thoroughbreds in 2014, to within three lengths when trained by Bob Baffert.

Prior to that run, Indianapolis was sluggish at the start to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita two seasons ago.

He clearly has talent, but needed the run badly when thrashed by Muarrab last month over course and distance.

Dark horse status is conferred on Swedish raider Let’sgoforit, who has won his last three on the dirt of Jagersro Racecourse and makes his debut in Dubai for first-time trainer Bodil Halencreutz.

To complete the mysterious trio is jockey Oliver Wilson, who has yet to have a ride in the UAE.

In October Let’sgoforit was far too good for Beat Baby, who became the first Scandinavian winner at the Dubai World Cup Carnival last season, and gave that horse significant amounts of weight in a handicap.

Polar River brings excitement to Doug Watson and Red Stables in Dubai

This has been a stellar season for Doug Watson but in the 22 years that the American has been training in Dubai rarely has the master of Red Stables had a more exciting horse than Polar River.

Polar River demolished her rivals a month ago in an all-aged maiden at Meydan, and back against her own sex and age group Watson is looking forward to seeing her in the UAE 1,000 Guineas Trial with Pat Dobbs on board.

Polar River put 13 lengths on the field on her first start in Dubai and although the dirt was riding extremely fast that night she posted the second fastest time on the surface at 1,200 metres.

With 2003 Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker on her dam’s side, tonight’s assignment over 200 metres further is likely to be well within her compass.

“We knew she was good by the way she was training,” Watson said. “She used to train with High Start, who also runs, but after about four gallops it was clear High Start wasn’t good enough so since then she has worked on her own.

“If we let her do what she wanted to every time she would do too much.

“I’m not a rider but Pat says that she has real gears and that he could push the button at any time.

“In all my time in the UAE I have not seen a horse win a maiden like that.

“I know things get a lot tougher when you are up against horses from the Godolphin and Mike de Kock stables and she is going to have to prove herself but I don’t think that win was a fluke.”

Saeed bin Suroor drew a rare blank on the opening night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival last week and saddles two runners in the $US75,000 (Dh275,400) race.

Promising Run has two wins on the turf in England, once of which was an impressive victory in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes before she struggled in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile in October. As a daughter of American sire Hard Spun, she should relish the dirt surface at Meydan and will be ridden by James Doyle.

Bin Suroor also runs Pure Diamond, who displayed a liking for all-weather surfaces in England last season with two wins at Kempton. The daughter of 2002 Dubai World Cup winner Street Cry will be ridden by William Buick.

Mike de Kock, who struck last week with Star Empire, is represented by Almashooqa, who last ran when second in the Grade 1 Golden Slipper at Greyville in July before undergoing the punishing quarantine journey from South Africa. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid’s filly will be partnered by Paul Hanagan.

Five things to look out for at Meydan on Thursday

Cat O’Mountain, 9.55pm, Mina Al Hamriya

Meydan racegoers have not seen Cat O’Mountain since he finished third in the Dubai World Cup behind African Story in 2014. Cat O’Mountain will not see much of Meydan tonight, either, as he is to sport a pair of blinkers for the first time in his 14-race career. As a son of former World Cup winner Street Cry, he should have no problem on his first attempt on dirt and races off what looks a lenient handicap mark.

Rouleau, 8.10pm, UAE 2,000 Guineas Trial

Charlie Appleby had a turgid season on the dirt last year but secured his first winner on the surface when Blue Creek took apart a field of maidens on New Year’s Day. Rouleau is the highest-rated three-year-old in Appleby’s small, but select Carnival string of 20 and could appreciate the step up to 1,400 metres.

Tadhg O’Shea

The Irishman is riding supremely well at the moment. Last week he had a treble on the opening night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, and followed that up with a winner at Jebel Ali and then a double at Al Ain on Saturday. He does not appear to have a choice set of mounts tonight but confidence is a powerful driving force in jockeys.

Oisin Murphy

Murphy is to be Qatar Racing’s only retained jockey for the 2016 campaign following the poaching of Andrea Atzeni by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid last season. The 20-year-old rider takes his first mount in the UAE for this season when he partners Godolphin third string Good Contact up against Cat O’Mountain in the Mina Al Hamriya. He also rides Giftorm in the concluding handicap.

Saeed bin Suroor

The Godolphin trainer does not often leave Meydan empty handed, but last week Emirates Flyer finished second, while Alabaster, Code Of Honour and Free Wheeling all were out of the money. The master of Al Quoz Stables unleashes seven horses tonight with Steady Pace in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial looking the best of Godolphin’s two runners.

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