Plenty to play for as nine titles up for grabs at Rally Monza
The Entisar — run over the same 2000m on dirt as the Dubai World Cup itself — will see a field of nine, with all eyes likely to be focused on the enigmatic Pakistan Star, making both his local and dirt debut
A pair of listed races featuring proven Dubai World Cup Carnival runners -- set to be joined by those with aspirations for the 2021 international extravaganza -- headline Thursday’s racing at Meydan, which undoubtedly is the best fixture of the new season thus far.
The Entisar sponsored by Hamdan Bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal -- run over the same 2000m on dirt as the Dubai World Cup itself -- will see a field of nine, with all eyes likely to be focused on the enigmatic Pakistan Star, making both his local and dirt debut having joined Doug Watson ater a varied career in Hong Kong.
The 7-year-old Shamardal gelding was foaled in Germany, but has raced, to date solely in Hong Kong, twice winning at Group One level, but just as famous, initially, for missing the break and producing a flying finish. However, his final appearance in Hong Kong, just over a year ago in the middle of November, ended abruptly when the horse basically pulled himself up ater less than 200m.
Stable jockey Pat Dobbs rides with Sam Hitchcot aboard stable companion Just A Penny, considered by many as a Jebel Ali specialist having registered all nine career wins ‘up the hill’.
Watson, seeking a fith win in a race inaugurated as recently as 2013, said: “Pakistan Star has setled in really well and has been a pleasure to deal with. Obviously we need to find out if he handles the dirt in a race; he has worked very nicely on it, but a race is a different mater and we are looking forward to running him.
“Just A Penny has not run at Meydan for a long time, but we thought it worth trying him there; the Jebel Ali Mile and Stakes are currently his main targets.”
For Satish Seemar, Saltarin Dubai was runnerup in this last year under Richard Mullen and the pair will be hoping to go one place beter and record a third course and distance victory together. They won a carnival handicap in January 2019 and, in March 2018, landed the Listed Curlin Handicap.
Seemar also saddles George Villiers, another to have won a carnival handicap over this 2000m track and trip, in his case in January last year. Tadhg O’shea rides.
From three Salem Bin Ghadayer runners, Royston Ffrench has opted to ride For The Top, Xavier Ziani chooses Firnas, leaving the spare ride on Montsarrat for Ryan Curatolo.
Musabbeh Al Mheiri saddled Military Law to win this under Fernando Jara for Nasir Askar last year and the trio combine with Casey Jones, already a Meydan winner this season having landed the featured 1600m conditions race a fortnight ago.
The field is completed by dirt debutant Zaman, the mount of Fernando Jara and trained by Ahmad bin Harmash for Abdullah Menahi. If taking to the surface, he could surprise a few, seeking a second Meydan victory at Listed level having won the 2018 Meydan Classic, over 1600m on turf, for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby. This will be just his second start for current connections.
Nine also go to post for the 1200m Listed Garhoud Sprint in which the Watson-trained Waady carries a penalty for his February victory in the 1000m Group 2 Meydan Sprint in February. That was on turf, as was the handicap he won a week earlier, but he did make a winning start to last season over the same 1200m on dirt as Thursday’s race. Dane O’neill, riding for his main employer Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is aboard the 8-year-old, but they have not fared too well in the draw; he is in stall eight, but is beter berthed than Watson’s second runner, My Catch, who is widest of all in nine as he seeks to repeat his victory in this race of 2016 under Pat Dobbs who again rides.
The aforementioned Bochart, the choice of Richard Mullen from three Satish Seemar runners, was a dual carnival winner over this 1200m last season and is nicely drawn in stall four.
He is joined in the nonet by stable companions Leading Spirit, seemingly selected by Tadhg O’shea, Switzerland and Behavioral Bias, the mounts of Fernando Jara and Pat Cosgrave respectively.
Bin Ghadayer and Ffrench combine with Important Mission, a course and distance winner on his final start of last season at the end of February and the only runner with the advantage of a run this season, albeit well beaten a fortnight ago.
MONZA: Nine world titles are up for grabs as the FIA World Rally Championship heads towards an action-packedfinaleatacirallymonzafromdec.3-6.
Honours remain to be decided in all four categories but the main focus rests on the outright championship. Four drivers can still win, with two teams batling for the manufacturers’ title.
Welshman Elfyn Evans starts favourite. He holds a 14-point advantage over Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate Sebastien Ogier, with a maximum 30 on offer. Evans is bidding for a maiden title, while his French colleague already has six to his name.
The rally is a late addition to a WRC calendar truncated by Covid-19. It mixes speed tests at Monza’s famous Cathedral of Speed circuit with tricky asphalt in the foothills of the Italian Alps, near Lake Como.
The smooth circuit, featuring classic corners like Parabolica, steeply banked curves on an old oval track and awkward gravel service roads mean Monza’s challenge contrasts with the more traditional mountain special stages driven on Saturday.
Welshman Evans is within striking distance of the title. “It’s a brand-new event for me,” said Evans. “We have very different days between Friday, Saturday and Sunday so we have to be able to adapt our driving and the car to suit those different conditions.
“The championship is still very much wide open. We’re in a good position, of course, but nothing can be taken for granted. It’s still a narrow margin as far as the batle is concerned and we’re going to have to be at our best to finish the year in the position we are now.”
Like Evans, Ogier is in his first season with the Japanese squad and has litle sealed surface experience with a Yaris World Rally Car. The old adage says ‘points make prizes’. Well, there’s a host of points to be won and lost in four categories before the ...
“We haven’t really driven the car on asphalt since Monte-carlo in January, so testing has been very important to get as much experience as possible. I feel like I have nothing to lose, so I don’t feel any pressure,” explained Ogier.
Hyundai Motorsport duo Thierry Neuville and reigning champion Ot Tänak remain in the fight. Neuville is 24 points behind Evans, with Tänak’s grip on the title hanging by the thinnest of threads. The Estonian trails by 28 points.
Both will, however, be key to Hyundai’s bid to retain the manufacturers’ crown. The Korean team leads Toyota by seven points with 43 available.
The drivers’ and co-drivers’ titles will be setled in WRC 2 where Pontus Tidemand and Mads Ostberg duel in a winner takes all batle. Marco Bulacia, Jari Hutunen and Kajetan Kajetanowicz fight for WRC 3 honours, while five drivers can claim the Junior WRC spoils. The action begins at Monza on Thursday aternoon and title celebrations will begin on Sunday aternoon ater 16 stages covering 241.14km.