Options open up for talented Janoobi
Trainer Mike de Kock has three options for Janoobi after his star’s third in the grade 1 Jebel Hatta in Dubai last Saturday.
The choices for De Kock and owner Sheikh Hamdan are the $5m Dubai Turf on World Cup night, the grade 1 Kranji Mile in Singapore or grade 1 Champions Mile in Hong Kong on April 29.
Interviewed by Turf Talk, De Kock said: “Janoobi didn’t have things all his own way on Saturday but ran a great race and jockey Jim Crowley said he stayed every inch. The Dubai Turf, Champions Mile and Kranji Mile are all possible targets, but we’ll be discussing this with Sheikh Hamdan.
“The sheikh enjoys having a strong contingent of runners on Dubai World Cup night so the Dubai Turf is a possibility.”
Janoobi, a dual Guineas winner in SA, is proving a moneyspinner in Dubai as he won the Zabeel Mile prior to last Saturday’s game effort in a race with a purse of $300,000.
However, there was huge disappointment in the Jebel Hatta for fans of 2017 Sun Met winner Whisky Baron. Trainer Brett Crawford had said his charge would appreciate 1,800m, but the Aussie-bred horse finished eighth.
Whisky Baron’s participation on Dubai World Cup night must now be in doubt.
Another De Kock inmate, Al Sahem, formerly trained by Sean Tarry, came fifth in Saturday’s grade 3 Dubai City Of Gold and now heads for the grade 2 Gold Cup over 3,200m on World Cup night.
Meanwhile, the Cheltenham meeting gets under way in the UK on Tuesday and according to clerk of the course Simon Claisse it will be “the softest ground for 20 years”.
This is a concern for Gold Cup favourite Might Bite, who has an 11-4 chance with most bookies, ahead of Friday’s big race where his chief rival is expected to be soft-ground specialist Native River.
“At the moment, the going [on the ground] is soft, heavy in places, and we do not expect it to change significantly over the four days,” said Claisse.
Trainer Nick Henderson told reporters: “We are happy with Might Bite — he did a nice piece of work on Saturday and it’s all systems go for the Gold Cup. The slight worry is going to be the ground. He won’t relish it as much as some of our others, including Buveur D’Air, but the going can change very quickly.
“I will certainly be happy if the ground dries in time for Might Bite on Friday. He is in great form and I couldn’t be happier with him,” said Henderson.
With 2017’s winner Sizing John ruled out of the Gold Cup due to injury, jockey Robbie Power now switches to a 7-1 chance on Our Duke, leaving Noel Fehily to partner the 25-1 shot American.
Trained by Harry Fry, eightyear-old American has been supplemented for the race at a cost of £27,500.
Fry commented: “It’s a dream come true for all of us. It’s quite a tall order we have set him, but there’s only one Gold Cup so we’ll take our chance.
“If he ran into a place we’d be absolutely thrilled.”
Bookmakers make Irish trainer Willie Mullins, who saddled a five-timer at Gowran Park last Saturday, the 5-4 favourite to emerge with the most winners at the meeting. He saddles the 6-4 favourite Getabird in Tuesday’s Supreme Novices Hurdle in which his chief rival is likely to be 2-1 chance Samcro.
Graham Elliot and Might Bite’s trainer Nick Henderson are the second favourites behind Mullins for the top trainer award. Elliot’s chief hopes are Douvan and Min in the Champion Chase and Footpad in the Racing Post Arkle.
THE SHEIKH ENJOYS HAVING A STRONG CONTINGENT OF RUNNERS ON DUBAI WORLD CUP NIGHT SO THE DUBAI TURF IS A POSSIBILITY Mike de Kock Trainer of Janoobi