Halford Aiming Select Team At Dubai

Michael Halford knows what it takes to be successful at the Dubai Carnival having enjoyed major wins there over the years with the likes of Certerach (Ire) (Halling) and Russian Soul (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the Kildare trainer is planning to bring just a pair of runners to Meydan for next year's Carnival which kicks off Jan. 11. Riyazan (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Rehana (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), both owned by the Aga Khan will represent Halford in Dubai and the trainer has targets mapped out for the pair.

“Riyazan is in very good form and will be aimed at the Meydan Classic Trial [Feb. 8] and the [Listed] Meydan Classic [Mar. 1],” the trainer outlined on his blog. “He is a horse we have always liked and he strikes me as a horse that should thrive in Dubai.”

Riyazan beat subsequent Group 3 winner Nelson (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) on his debut at The Curragh in August and was last seen winning the Listed Star Appeal S. at Dundalk in October.

Similarly his stablemate Rehana boasts some smart stakes form and connections harboured Classic aspirations following the filly's win in the G3 Athasi S. at Naas in May and while those aspirations did not come to fruition when Rehana finished sixth to Winter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas, Halford believes the racing environment at Meydan should bring out the best in the 3-year-old.

“We just ran out of opportunities over here for Rehana due to the ground–ideally she likes good, fast ground and she should get that in Dubai and I am looking forward to running her over there,” Halford said. “Options for her over there include the $160,000 Handicap Jan. 11 and the [G2] Cape Verdi for fillies and mare over a mile [on Jan 25].”