No risk for Duffield in the opening contest

Although Meydan racecourse's main purpose is to elevate the Dubai World Cup, it will also give Arabian racing a better platform to show just how exciting it can be.

Gillian Duffield discovered Arabians in the Eighties.

DUBAI // Gillian Duffield was predominantly a trainer of amateur jump racers when she had her first Arabian winner at England's Aintree. But it was a win that changed the course of her career and set her on a road to four UAE Arabian trainers' championships and victory in every Arabian group race in England. Although the Meydan racecourse's main purpose is to elevate the Dubai World Cup race even higher, it will also give Arabian racing a better platform to show just how exciting it can be.

And tonight Duffield sets her sights on winning the Group One Al Maktoum Challenge Round One for Arabians with No Risk Al Muary. "It worries me a little bit that he has not raced here yet as it can take them a little while to settle," said Duffield. "But he will get his chance in the Al Maktoum Challenge and he has so much ability. We are looking forward to seeing what he can do." To understand how far the trainer, who works primarily for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid, has come you have to look back to 1985.

Back then she had never even considered training Arabian horses. Little did she know she would one day train the great Madjani, who in 2007 equalled the record of three consecutive victories in the Kahayla Classic at Nad al Sheba. The only other horse to have achieved that feat was Alanudd in 1997, 98 and 99. In those days Duffield had a successful yard just outside Newmarket which was populated by hunters and point-to-pointers.

One of her charges, Rhusted, won 14 Opens (the highest category of point-to-point races) and she was looking at moving up to steeplechasing. Then one of her owners, who had a fencing company, put her in touch with Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell racing operation and, quite by chance, Duffield's life took a new turn. "He did the fencing at Shadwell down the road from us," said Duffield. "He said they had some Arabians and were looking for a trainer.

"At first I thought 'oh, no I don't want to train them, they are silly, fizzy things and only good for looking pretty', but I went and had a look because I thought Sheikh Hamdan would have good ones." In the end Duffield was swayed by the prospect of being able to keep her yard open, and her staff in employment, throughout the summer. But soon the Arabian operation overtook the thoroughbreds and Duffield was consumed by her new challenge.

And she has proved more than equal to the task. This season No Risk Al Maury is the big prospect and tonight spectators are likely to see whether he can follow in the footsteps of Madjani or her other Kahayla winner, Kaolino. He has won 14 races, including two Dubai Stakes, and Duffield is eager to see how he fares in the opening contest.