Guineas 1-2 go head to head in Derby

Since its inception in 2000, the UAE Derby has been very much about Saeed bin Suroor and Mike de Kock. The Godolphin conditioner dominates the roll of honor, having saddled the winner on seven occasions, but his South-African counterpart is not lagging behind with five victories to his name. Despite showing a highly international flavor, with runners traveling from as far away as Japan, Saudi Arabia, America and Great Britain, this year’s renewal seems likely to turn into a duel between that same pair, as bin Suroor sends out UAE 2000 Guineas winner Maftool and de Kock that race’s runner-up Mubtaahij (Ire). 

The former hasn’t been seen out since posting that performance Feb. 12, but his trainer has reported himself pleased with his homework and commented on Friday, “It is a strong race but the extra trip should suit and he has a good chance.” Mubtaahij (Ire), on the other hand, followed on his head second to Maftool with a 2 1/2 lengths defeat of Uruguayan Triple Crown winner Sir Fever (Uru) in the Listed Al Bastakiya over the Derby’s course and distance. Christophe Soumillon gets the leg-up for the first time and will be riding at his lowest weight. Sir Fever was suffering his first defeat on what was also his first start outside his native country, and trainer Charlie Appleby is confident the colt will have come on for the run. “I was very pleased with his first run and it gave William Buick a great opportunity to get to know him in a race scenario,” the trainer said. “We have added blinkers and a shadow roll to try to aid his concentration.” 

Bill and Susan Casner, whose Well Armed (Tiznow) took the 2009 G1 Dubai World Cup, will be hoping lightning can strike twice as their homebred My Johnny Be Good bids to return to winning ways after running third in the G3 Sam F. Davis S. and unplaced in Carpe Diem’s G3 Tampa Bay Derby. Three Japanese-trained horses face the starters, headed by $175,000 Fasig-Tipton yearling purchase Golden Barows, the winner of three of his four starts to date. The colt was last seen when landing the Listed Hyacinth S. at Tokyo Feb. 22, a race in which Dear Domus (Jpn) ran fourth and Tap That (Jpn) last of six.