It didn't take long for Polar River (Congrats) to become one of the talking horses of this year's carnival, and the bay filly has fully justified the hype in her three starts to date, winning three contests over the main track by a combined 31 1/4 lengths. The Valentin Bukhtoyarov and Evgeny Kappushev colorbearer tries group company for the first time in Thursday's G3 UAE Oaks at Meydan; however, she has scared off all but two rivals.
Polar River earned 'TDN Rising Star' status with a 13 1/2-length score at first-asking going 1200 metres in a non-carnival contest Dec. 3, and promptly proved up to the task of disposing of better competition, besting Godolphin's G2 Rockfel S. winner Promising Run (Hard Spun) in both the UAE 1000 Guineas trial Jan. 14 and the main event itself a month later. Trainer Doug Watson indicated Polar River is likely to advance to the G2 UAE Derby on Mar. 26 should all go to plan here, and didn't express any concerns with the increase in distance. “She is a special filly and very exciting to be associated with,” said Watson. “We think she will be better over this trip and has improved with each of her three starts to date.”
Polar River lines up against Dolly Dagger (Swe) (Eishin Dunkirk), who she bested by 13 and 17 lengths, respectively, in the Guineas Trial and Guineas, and new shooter Vale Dori (Arg) (Asiatic Boy {Arg}). A Group 1 winner in her native country, Vale Dori makes her first start since taking the G1 Gran Premio Jorge de Atucha May 1. She lines up for trainer Mike de Kock and owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum, who sent her sire out to be second to Curlin (Smart Strike) in the 2008 G1 Dubai World Cup in addition to winning five races at Nad Al Sheba.
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