Luck of the draw goes against Watson

sharjah — The Thoroughbreds take centre stage at Sharjah on Saturday with the maximum field of 16 declared for the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup, a 1700m handicap.

Champion Trainer, Doug Watson, saddles both Dangerous Thought and Ballad Singer; the latter being the choice of Pat Dobbs, and a course winner in a 2000m handicap, on his most recent outing in the middle of November.

That was actually his first career victory but he clearly appreciates the Sharjah surface because he was second on his only previous run there, in this very race, last season when it was contested on Christmas Eve.

Dangerous Thought, meanwhile, remains a maiden after 13 starts and has been running quite well recently but was a long way behind Ballad Singer in that November race won by his stable companion.

Watson said: “We were very hopeful for Ballad Singer but he has drawn 16 which is certainly not ideal. He will need some luck from that gate, while Dangerous Thought is coming down the weights to a point where we hope he can be competitive. But he has drawn 14 so we really did not enjoy much ‘luck of the draw’!

When second in this race last season, Ballad Singer chased home Fa’Iz, trained by Erwan Charpy who relies on Emirates Airline on Saturday. He will be ridden by Antonio Fresu, just as he was when staying on strongly to snatch second at Al Ain, over 2000m, last Friday.

Satish Seemar saddles three with stable jockey, Richard Mullen electing to ride Five hundred miles, the mount of Connor Beasley. He and stable companion, Unite The Clans, are owned by Thistle Bloodstock.

Ali Rashid Al Rayhi will be hoping first reserve, Watheeq, owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, after whom the race is named, gets a run at the track on which he has recorded all three of his local victories, albeit over 2000m. The same owner also has a course specialist in the best of the Purebred Arabian action, a 2000m handicap, in the shape of The Secret, trained by Watson. He has won five times, all here at Sharjah.