Bruss is back in Dubai
RETURN: FORMER SA TRAINER HAS FIRST RUNNERS AT MEYDAN SINCE 2009
Dettori booked to ride Bruss runner in Balanchine Stakes. Dubai
Saudi Arabian-based South African trainer Neil Bruss saddles his first runners in the UAE since Paris Perfect and Mueller ran third and fourth behind Well Armed in the 2009 Dubai World Cup.
Bruss has booked Frankie Dettori to ride Tiaemah in the Balanchine Stakes, the Group 2 feature of Meydan’s seven-race card. This seven-year-old, a prolific winner in her homeland, arrives at Meydan in good form, winning her last two races in Riyadh.
She makes her turf debut and faces a strong field, headed by Promising Run, trained by Saeed bin Suroor who is seeking a fourth victory in the event and first since Very Special upset the favourite Euro Charline two years ago.
The penalised Promising Run has a formidable record on turf at Meydan, winning the Cape Verdi last month in addition to landing the Al Rashidiya last season. She holds outstanding claims and is fancied to give weight to her seven rivals.
Opal Tiara, seeking to become the first horse to win back-toback renewals of the Balanchine Stakes, was disappointing in the Cape Verdi, running fourth behind Promising Run and it’s difficult to see that form reversed.
The main supporting race is the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes, an important local trial over 1600m on dirt for the $1-million Godolphin Mile, on the Dubai World Cup undercard, next month. Salem bin Ghadayer-trained Heavy Metal, impressive winner of Al Maktoum Challenge Round I, looks the one to beat dropping back to 1600m after being outstayed by Thunder Snow and North America in Round II nine days ago.
Cosmo Charlie, one of five horses getting weight from the penalised Heavy Metal, is highly effective under these conditions, most notably winning the Listed Al Bastakiya Stakes last season. He caught the eye on his seasonal debut, romping to victory in a minor event.
The four-year-old hasn’t been in the same form since, twice finishing behind Heavy Metal. He returns after a short break since being gelded and looks the biggest threat to bin Ghadayer’s stable star.
Bruss relies on Fantastic Four, a multiple winner on dirt and winner at Grade 1 level in his younger days in South America. He has made one appearance for the South African handler since switched to Saudi Arabia, winning a local Group 3 in good style in late December after a 13-month break. He’s a fascinating contender and merits respect in a race plenty don’t appeal.
Australian sprinter Faatinah, trained by David Hayes, heads the weights in the opening race, a 1200m handicap on turf. A winner here last month, he made most of the running and held the persistent challenge of Godolphin’s Baccarat, the pair pulling clear of the rest. It’s hard to split them on these terms, the Charlie Applebytrained gelding is weighted to get his revenge but I fancy Faatinah can uphold the form and cement his claims for a start in the $1 Al Quoz Sprint next month.
It looks a sensible move dropping the speedy Yalta back to 1200m in the opening dirt handicap, Race 4. Two weeks ago he showed blistering pace after jumping sharply in a 1400m handicap, only succumbing in the closing stages to the patiently ridden Drafted, one of the most improved horses in training in the Emirates this season. This looks a good opportunity for Salem bin Ghadayer’s five-year-old to finally open his local account at the sixth time of asking.
Godolphin holds the aces in the 1800m handicap on turf, Race 5. They saddle four of the 12 runners, three — Kidmenever, Blair House and G K Chesterton — are trained by Charlie Appleby while recent Meydan winner Mountain Hunter, representing Saeed bin Suroor, looks to land a quick double after scoring here three weeks ago. Top-weight Kidmenever, seemingly the choice of William Buick of the Appleby’s trio, gets the vote. A winner of the 2016 Swiss Derby, he can defy a 91 day break and potential tricky gate in first-time cheekpieces on his first appearance since a heart-breaking defeat in Group 3 company in Australia in November.
In The Lope, representing France, looks best of the rest.