Hollie reports from Dubai after flying out to ride star mare Nashwa in Saturday’s Dubai Turf, revealing her fancies for the other key races on a stellar Meydan card.
Nashwa‘s in great form ahead of her eagerly anticipated first assignment of the year on Saturday, the Dubai Turf (15.10), but the draw hasn’t been kind to my boss Imad Alsagar’s Classic-winning daughter of Frankel.
Being posted out in stall 16 couldn’t be much worse, but I still expect her to acquit herself well after giving me such a lovely feel in Newmarket last week and again at Meydan on Thursday morning.
I cantered her on the turf track for John and Thady Gosden and she took to the conditions really well. She’s so relaxed and certainly seems to be enjoying the warmer conditions – her coat shines like glass!
My challenge is to overcome our poor starting position, but Nashwa is very versatile as she’s proven over the last few years in terms of ground, trip, track, and riding style. She won both the Group One Falmouth Stakes and Nassau Stakes from well off the pace, of course.
Our opposition is illustrious, to say the least, but Japan’s Do Deuce is the class horse in the line-up, winning the Arima Kinen over further at Nakayama in December. I think he’s the one we’ll all have to beat, but Aidan O’Brien’s Luxembourg is a solid Group 1 horse and Nashwa’s stable companion Lord North is out to win this for an unprecedented fourth time.
Looking forward to Roberto in hot Gold Cup
It is a bonus to be offered the ride on another British raider in Roberto Escobarr in the Dubai World Cup (12.40) – a race that looks likely to be dominated by familiar names.
Aidan O’Brien’s Tower Of London, who won a £1 million pot in Riyadh last month, is a worthy favourite, but John and Thady Gosden’s Trawlerman, Roger Varian’s St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov, and and Trueshan‘s old adversary Coltrane all make this a red-hot Group Two.
Roberto Escobarr will be among the outsiders, but he has already given Mick Appleby and his owners a big thrill by winning the Italian St Leger on his first start since leaving William Haggas. He didn’t fire in Saudi but should enjoy this two mile test.
Rooting for Pat in World Cup
What a story it would be if Kabirkhan managed to win the Dubai World Cup for British jockey Pat Dobbs, a good friend from our days together with Richard Hannon.
It would be amazing for him to ride a World Cup winner at this stage of his career, so I’m really rooting for him.
Pat has spent most of his career coming out to Dubai for the winter months with a lot of success, but it’s great to see him have a live chance in a race of this magnitude on a horse who has enjoyed a rags-to-riches rise to fame.
Doug Watson’s colt emerged from relative obscurity in Kazakhstan but looked awesome in the Group One Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan in January, travelling so smoothly for Pat before easing clear.
Another Japanese star in Ushba Tesoro would have won the Saudi Cup in another stride. He’s extremely talented and effective on the dirt, as he showed when winning the World Cup last year, so it’s going to take a mighty effort to lower his colours.
Rodin the one for me in Classic
What a race the Dubai Sheema Classic promises to be! It would be amazing to see Japan’s fantastic filly Liberty Island win this after beating all but the brilliant Equinox in the Japan Cup at Tokyo in November.
She’s very talented and does deserve to win a race like this, but anyone who reads my blog regularly will know that I’m a big Auguste Rodin fan, and I really can’t see Aidan O’Brien’s star getting beaten here.
A precious son of Deep Impact, the four-year-old looks a million dollars in the Dubai sunshine, and he can add this notable prize to the English and Irish Derbies and Breeders’ Cup Turf that already grace his CV.
Hoping Harry can repeat All-Weather form
I am intrigued to see how Clive Cox’s Diligent Harry goes in the Group One Al Quoz Sprint. He’s a progressive sprinter on the All-Weather at home, so it will be interesting to see if he can translate that class onto turf.
Talking of the All-Weather, I’ll be keeping a close eye on the £1 million Finals Day at Newcastle, where my old friend Albasheer goes for glory in the BetUK All-Weather Sprint Handicap.
Archie Watson’s gelding has been in top form this winter, winning the trial for me over course and distance on New Year’s Day before following up over 5f there last time out. Hopefully he can complete the hat-trick in the capable hands of Luke Morris.
Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.
Source : Sky Sports
