Promising Run the Balanchine frontrunner
The last three winners of the Cape Verdi Stakes went on to land the Balanchine Stakes, a statistic that bodes well for Godolphin handler Saeed Bin Surour who is hoping that Promising Run can become the fourth horse to complete the Group 2 double at Meydan today.
Bin Surour’s trainee, who was a cosy 4.5 length winner of the Cape Verdi over 1,600m three weeks ago, once more takes on six of the horses who finished in her wake on that occasion.
Although Promising Run concedes 1.5kg on this occasion her trainer remains confident of a big run from the daughter of Hard Spun.
“She has been working very well since her win in the Cape Verdi and has improved during the three weeks between races,” Bin Surour said.
“She is a really popular horse in the yard and has won five times for us in three different countries. Hopefully she can add to our good record in the Balanchine, which includes a win with Sajjhaa in 2013.
“Sajjhaa was a real star that year, also winning the Cape Verdi as well as Group 1 races, the Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday and Dubai Turf on World Cup night,” Bin Surour added. “It would be nice if Promising Run could achieve something similar.”
English handler Mick Channon’s Opal Tiara, who won the Balanchine 12 months ago, will bid to become the first dual winner of the 1,800m race which carries a prize of $200,000.
De Sousa’s take
British champion jockey Silvestre de Sousa has ridden her in both starts this season and said: “She seems in good form and should go well with Promising Run looking the one to beat.”
Veteran Dubai handler Erwan Charpy is represented by Furia Cruzada, who can benefit from a lungopener when fourth behind Thunder Snow in Round 2 of the Al Maktoum Challenge last week.
Earlier in the evening, a quality field of six will go to post in Group2 Firebreak Stakes a prep for the Godolphin Mile (G2) on Dubai World Cup Day.
Salem Bin Ghadayer’s Meydan specialist Heavy Metal is in pursuit of his seventh victory on the dirt track and sixth over this 1,600m. The 8-year-old makes a quick return to action after finishing third in last week’s Al Maktoum Challenge over a less than favourable 1900m.