Todd Pletcher said Dubai World Cup favourite Life Is Good arrived in the UAE safe and sound and declared himself happy with his stable star's condition as they begin preparations for Saturday's big race.
Life Is Good represents one of the Hall of Fame trainer's best chances to win a first Dubai World Cup, the feature race at one of the richest nights in horse racing.
Winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar in November, the four-year-old picked up where he left off by defeating Classic hero Knicks Go in the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream in January.
Following a 13-hour flight from Miami, Life Is Good took a morning gallop around Meydan Racecourse on Tuesday and Pletcher said he was is excited about his chances.
“Our flight was good and as soon as we arrived last night we went to the stables and saw Life Is Good and we were very happy with what we saw of him," he said. "He really looks like he has settled in well.
“I’ve learnt some things over the years of coming here and one of them I think is to do all your work at home. I’ve breezed horses here in the past and I think maybe its been a little counter-productive so we will just have some gallops with him and participate in the night schooling session tonight and go from there.”
Life Is Good is part of a formidable American contingent that also includes Doug O’Neill’s Hot Rod Charlie and the Bob Baffert-trained County Grammer.
Hot Rod Charlie made a successful Dubai debut in round two of the Al Maktoum Challenge last month and looked the part in his latest morning spin.
“He is doing so good right now, he loves this track," said O’Neill’s assistant Leandro Mora.
"He is very calm and quiet when making the walk to the track in the mornings but as soon as he steps on the track and the rider sits on his back he knows it is go-time and can get a little excited, but in a good way.”
Following an eight-month break, Country Grammer narrowly missed out on a winning return last month when finishing second to local hope Emblem Road in the Saudi Cup in Riyadh.
Jimmy Barnes, Baffert’s long-time assistant, was thrilled with his Tuesday morning workout: “Country Grammer is a horse who will run all day and will definitely appreciate the two turns and the one-and-a-quarter-mile distance of this race.
“He has always been a straightforward horse to train and nothing has changed with him here.”
PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
1 Man City 26 20 3 3 63 17 63
2 Liverpool 25 17 6 2 64 20 57
3 Chelsea 25 14 8 3 49 18 50
4 Man Utd 26 13 7 6 44 34 46
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5 West Ham 26 12 6 8 45 34 42
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6 Arsenal 23 13 3 7 36 26 42
7 Wolves 24 12 4 8 23 18 40
8 Tottenham 23 12 4 8 31 31 39
What is 'Soft Power'?
Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye.
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength.
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force.
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
