Cairo has the edge, but don't write off Go Soldier Go
It looks like a very competitive race, albeit one lacking a stand-out, but I’m hopeful he will go well if he handles the conditions”
Ryan Moore, jockey (Cairo)
The Derby is a very hard race to win but with these youngsters, you can never tell as they might surprise you” Adrie De Vries, jockey
(Go Soldier Go)
It would be foolish not to take serious note of top Irish handler Aidan O’brien’s runners when they travel out of the country to challenge for prizes far and wide. The 25-time Champion trainer has dispatched an elite team of three horses to Dubai with one of them, Cairo, looking like a major player in the $1 million UAE Derby (Group 2).
O’brien has won this contest three times in the past including Mendelssohn who set a course record in 2018 when he clocked 1:55.18 seconds over the 1,800 metre trip. So, it’s safe to assume that he believes Cairo can be the horse to give him a fourth success in a race that has a significant American perspective. Cairo is by Quality Road, and out of Galileo mare on the dam side, which may pose question marks on his ability to handle the dirt at Meydan.
“It looks like a very competitive race, albeit one lacking a stand-out, but I’m hopeful he will go well if he handles the conditions,” Cairo’s rider Ryan Moore told Talksport
“He is one of those typical Aidan slow-burners at two, progressing steadily throughout the season.
“He was just touched off on his debut for me at the Curragh in August and ended up winning his Group 3 by nearly three lengths in October from a subsequent winner. He is a classy sort who we obviously hope and expect to go on to better things at three.
The UAE Derby is a 200-point scoring race in the Road to the Derby programme that identifies the 20 horses who will vie for Kentucky Derby honours. The Kentucky Derby points are 100-40-30-20-10 to the top five finishers, respectively.
As a result, all thirteen horses entered the UAE’S final Classic of the season including several with higher goals. Among them is Worcester, who although he may not be eligible to earn Derby qualifying points, as any horses trained by Baffert after February. 28 cannot earn Derby points.
Worcester will be ridden for the first time by Frankie Dettori. Although he is still a maiden Worcester was placed in Grade 3 company at Santa Anita last time and Baffert thinks very highly of the son of Empire Maker.
American handler Doug O’neill has entered two including Ah Geez, a comfortable winner of the Al Karama Stakes at Meydan in February, and UAE 2000 Guineas victory, Tall Boy.
Ah Geez is the mount of Tyler Gaffalione while Tall Boy will once again be piloted by Godolphin’s William Buick.
Japanese Grade 1 scorer Dura Erede must also have serious claims as will the connections of Go Soldier Go, who showed plenty of fighting qualities to win the Al Bastakiya on Super Saturday.
Trained by Bahrain’s Fawzi Nass Go Soldier Go will be ridden by regular jockey Adrie De Vries, who thinks the colt is peaking at the right time.
“He’s a horse who fights hard and never gives up,” said the Dutchman, one of the oldest jockeys in action at the age of 53.
“He’s still a baby but he is learning fast. It goes without saying, the Derby is a very hard race to win but with these youngsters, you can never tell as they might surprise you on the day. I will be hoping he does on Saturday.”
Japan won the UAE Derby last year with Crown Pride and on the strength of that, Dura Erede should have strong claims. Already a winner on the dirt in Japan the son of Duramente should be one of those battling it out at the finish.
Another interesting contender is Brazilian-bred Es-unico who was fourth in the Saudi Derby.
Trained by Uruguay’s Champion Trainer Antonio Cintra he has never run a bad race in seven starts and has the potential to make an impression
Over the years the UAE Derby has uncovered several talented runners among them 2018 Dubai World Cup winner Thunder Snow and 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf victor Rebel’s Romance.
Other notable winners include Discreet Cat (2006); Toast of New York (2014); Mubtaahij (2015) and Lani (2016).