Thursday’s seventh meeting of the 2009 Dubai International Racing Carnival, kindly sponsored by the Commercial Bank Of Dubai, is a nine race card featuring the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort.
Seven have been declared for the 1600m turf feature in which South African trainers are seeking a sixth win in seven years and jockey Kevin Shea is bidding to win it for a fourth consecutive year.
The South African partners Imbongi for compatriot Mike De Kock who has won the race three times, twice with Shea and saddles two this year and the jockey, says:
“It is certainly a race I have enjoyed a lot of success in and it was our win with Ipi Tombe in 2003 which really put Mike (De Kock) and I on the map here in Dubai. Imbongi ran a really nice race on his first start here and hopefully we can go close.”
De Kock also saddles Hunting Tower, the mount of Frankie Dettori, and the trainer added: “He won well first time but then only had a week between races which, in hindsight, was not long enough. I expect both to run well.”
Shea combined with Herman Brown to win this in both 2006 and 2007 with Linngari but it is John Egan in the saddle on the trainer’s Traffic Guard this year.
Runner-up to Epsom Derby winner New Approach in last year’s Irish Champion Stakes, he has had a run this carnival and Brown expects a big run: “We knew he would need his comeback and he has been going well since. These races are never easy to win but he should give a good account.”
Johnny Murtagh partners Summit Surge, a carnival winner already this year for fellow Irishman Ger Lyons and he appears the main danger to the South Africans in a race the internationals have dominated since 2002.
De Kock’s 2008 UAE Derby winner Honour Devil reappears in the Al Dana Investment Plate, a 1600m dirt conditions race with Murtagh resuming his partnership with the four-year-old who also landed the UAE 2000 Guineas last year.
Stubbs Art is an interesting newcomer for the De Kock team and may have most to fear from Australia’s Valedictum in the 1500m turf handicap, the Mustaqbali Handicap.
The main support race is the sole Purebred Arabian race, the 1200m Group 2 Bani Yas, also on the grass.
Rod Simpson’s National Day Cup winner Fryvolous will be hard to beat even with his Group 1 penalty.
Saeed Bin Suroor is the leading trainer at the Carnival and has big chances with Asset in the 1200m CBD Visa Infinite Card Trophy and Irish Mayhem in the 2000m Attijari Al Islami Trophy.
Bin Suroor’s Yamal in the Commercial Bank of Dubai, the second 1500m turf handicap on the card, Sugar Ray in the CBD Financial Services 2400m grass handicap and Captain Webb in the concluding Al Dana Wealth Management 2400m turf handicap are also strong contenders.
The Pick 7 competition has over AED133,000 available to be won in the free to enter on course tipping competitions, including just over AED25,000 to be shared by race goers selecting all seven winners.
The breakdown for the Pick 7 and Tricast competitions are as follows:
Pick 7/7: AED25,025
Pick 6/7: AED12,000
Pick 5/7: AED8,000
Pick 4/7: AED5,000
Early Tricast: AED5,000
Middle Tricast: AED12,000
Late Tricast: AED68,000
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