The Kiaran McLaughlin juggernaut just keeps on rolling.
The American trainer is set to hand exciting sprinter, Marking, his Dubai debut in the Al Shindagha Sprint at Meydan on Thursday after the four-year-old was one of 14 entered in the 1,200-metre sprint.
McLaughlin added to the impressive wins of Frosted and Confrontation at Meydan last Thursday with Al Quoz Sprint hopeful Lady Shipman in America on Saturday.
He could prove to have another card to play on World Cup night, too, judging by how highly he regards his son of Bernardini, the runner-up to Dubai World Cup winner Invasor in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Marking, who has raced just three times for two victories, last ran when second to Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Runhappy in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes on the dirt of Santa Anita in December. Watershed, who was third to Confrontation at Meydan, was fifth in that race.
Horse racing in focus: Mubtaahij right at home at Meydan
“He is a really talented colt,” McLaughlin said of the Godolphin-owned sprinter. “I will be disappointed if he doesn’t win. He’s had only three starts but think he is a possible for the Dubai Golden Shaheen.
“On pedigree he could go a little further and he has won over a mile before, but he is a powerfully-built colt and looks like a sprinter.”
The $US200,000 (Dh734,000) contest will not be an easy assignment.
The evergreen Reynaldothewizard heads the entries, having run out an impressive winner of the Dubawi Stakes on his first start for a year when partnered by Richard Mullen last month.
Last year’s winner renews rivalry with Krypton Factor, who was edged out by a neck 12 months ago.
Reynaldothewizard became the oldest winner of the Group 3 contest last year, and showed in the Dubawi Stakes that age is yet to weary the ten-year-old.
Old rival Rich Tapestry is also an intended runner after he arrived in Dubai last week from Hong Kong.
Horse racing in focus: Foreign trainers aim to bounce back at Dubai World Cup Carnival
Rich Tapestry finished ahead of Reynaldothewizard on both occasions he ran at Meydan two seasons ago on the Tapeta surface. He beat Reynaldothewizard in to second in the Mahab Al Shimaal and was over three lengths clear of him when the runner-up to fellow Hong Kong raider Sterling City in the Dubai Golden Shaheen. He was third to Secret Circle 12 months ago on dirt on World Cup night.
Dubawi Stakes third Let’sgoforIt is turned out again for Swedish trainer Bodil Hallencreutz, while Ali Rashid Al Raihe’s Kifaah bids to follow up his handicap win over My Catch, who also has been entered.
Godolphin were the dominant force at Meydan last week and it could be another good night for the Dubai-based operation on Thursday as Saeed bin Suroor’s Steady Pace and Charlie Appleby’s Rouleau both have been entered for the UAE 2,000 Guineas.
Steady Pace just held off Rouleau in the Guineas Trial a month ago and Godolphin are gunning for a ninth success in the colt’s Classic with Bin Suroor responsible for five of those victories.
Bin Suroor has also won the UAE 1,000 Guineas nine times, and the last two runnings with Ihtimal and Local Time, and bids for a hat-trick with Promising Run, Pure Diamond and Dubai Fashion. Doug Watson’s impressive Polar River stands in the way.
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport