And so, barely a week after another epic BMW Hong Kong Derby finish, our focus switches to the international stage with Group 1 contests spread across three countries this weekend.
With just over a month to FWD Champions Day, the first of our simulcast races this weekend comes from Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney with the running of the Tancred Stakes, which is Australia’s only weight-for-age 2400m Group 1 race open to three-year-olds and older and is carded as S1-1 at 1:40pm.
The pace should be good with natural front-runner Knights Order setting a solid tempo from gate six. He will be fitter for recent racing and will be in front for a long way and is a place chance.
Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip is on the quick back-up having finished fifth behind Dubai Honour in the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) last week. Out to 2400m and on a softer track than he had seven days ago, I make Gold Trip a win and place chance.
Montefilia was second to Dubai Honour in the Ranvet, finishing three lengths ahead of Gold Trip. She also has to handle backing up seven days later but is a place chance.
Many of the other runners are better suited under handicap conditions and heading to the Sydney Cup over 3200m in two weeks, including Irish runner Cleveland who is trained by Joseph O’Brien. Cleveland will be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy and is a place chance at good odds.
On Saturday night, our attention moves to Meydan Racecourse where Hong Kong has five representatives on Dubai World Cup night. All have travelled well, are settled to their new environment and have been looking in good form during morning trackwork.
The G1 Al Quoz Sprint is run over the straight 1200m turf course and is carded as S2-4 at 9:15pm. Hong Kong is represented by Sight Success for John Size and Duke Wai for Pierre Ng.
Other runners of interest in the race are Flaming Rib (Hugo Palmer) and race favourite Al Dasim (George Boughey), who are all entered for the G1 FWD Chairman’s Sprint Prize on 30 April.
The speed will be solid although riders will want to save their horses for the final 200m of the testing straight course. Ryan Moore rides Sight Success and, from gate 13, he will be on speed and is a win and place chance.
Duke Wai will be ridden by Jerry Chau and from his middle draw will be held for a final sprint and I am hopeful that he will be closing late and can be placed top five or better.
Al Dasim is a lightly raced three-year-old who was impressive in winning the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint over the course and distance on 4 March and is a win and place chance for Mickael Barzalona, as is Al Suhail who comes back in trip for trainer Charlie Appleby after impressive wins at his last two starts over 1400m and will be ridden by William Buick.
The G1 Dubai Turf run over 1800m on turf is carded as S2-7 at 11:10pm and features Glorious Dragon. Pierre Ng has done wonderful job with Glorious Dragon coming back from injury this season to run with great credit finishing fourth at his last run in the Stewards’ Cup behind Golden Sixty on 26 February over 1600m.
He faces a very difficult task against quality opposition and that task became even harder when he drew the wide gate. Glorious Dragon will go back early and be ridden for luck.
The Japanese contingent is strong in this race, led by Serifos who last ran in November when winning the G1 Mile Championship. This is his first attempt beyond 1800m but Serifos is a win and place chance for Damian Lane.
The other Japan runners all have place chances led by Danon Beluga and Vin De Garde.
A quality field also includes Lord North who shared the winning honours last year with Panthalassa in a dead-heat finish and Nations Pride who also has claims in what looks one of the strongest races on the card.
Russian Emperor and Senor Toba complete our representation in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic carded as S2-8 over 2410m at 12:00am.
Both horses ran in Qatar with Russian Emperor winning the H.H. The Amir Trophy (2400m). He travelled to Dubai after that race and ran home late when fifth to Alfareeq over 1800m on 4 March. That run topped him off nicely for this race and he has pleased Douglas Whyte since. Russian Emperor has an ideal gate and I make him a place chance.
Senor Toba was seventh to Russian Emperor in Qatar. Caspar Fownes has engaged Frankie Dettori to ride and Senor Toba has drawn gate nine and may go back and be ridden for luck and I am hopeful he can finish top five.
There is not a lot of obvious speed but the pace will be most likely set by Westover, with Botanik who was second in the Hong Kong Vase also in the lead division. It is likely with a moderate pace, a number of runners will start to make their runs at the 800m mark when the tempo should increase appreciably.
The Japanese challenge is incredibly strong with Equinox rated 125 in winning the Arima Kinen at his last run in December and he is my win and place selection to be ridden by Christophe Lemaire.
Shahryar won the race last year and is a place chance for Cristian Demuro as is the Hong Kong Vase winner Win Marilyn.
The field also includes Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Rebel Romance and 2022 Irish Derby hero Westover underlining the enormity of the task ahead for Russian Emperor and Senor Toba.
The race card concludes with the 27th running of the Dubai World Cup on dirt carded as S2-9 at 12:35am. The pace in the race will be strong with Saudi Cup winner Panthalassa going forward from the outside gate. Last year’s winner Country Grammer closed late for second behind Panthalassa and he is a win and place chance. The race contains eight representatives from Japan and apart from Panthalassa, Geoglyph for Christophe Lemaire and Jun Light Bolt to be ridden by Ryan Moore are place chances.
Last year’s UAE Derby winner Crown Pride ran well in Saudi when fifth behind Panthalassa and is also a place chance.
We will publish a special blog tomorrow (Sunday, 26 March) as racing action continues internationally with the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) from Chukyo Racecourse in Japan and a 10-race card at Sha Tin.
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