UAE

WinStar Farm and China Horse Club's Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who won the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. in dominating fashion, has drawn gate one in the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup. The 4-year-old colt is six for seven, with five of his wins at the graded level. Elliott Walden, president and racing manager of co-owner WinStar Farm said, "It's an 11-horse field. He has enough time to get over, and has enough speed to put himself in a good position. It's...

The likely fields for the nine group races (one Arabian and eight Thoroughbred) of the $30.5-million Dubai World Cup night card on Mar. 26, were revealed on Thursday. A total of 32 Group/Grade 1 winners will take part in the Meydan showpiece. Todd Pletcher trainee Life Is Good (Into Mischief), a winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S., anchors the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airlines. Fellow Americans joining him in the field are Grade I winners Hot Rod...

Group 1 winner A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}) will remain in Dubai and target the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on Mar. 26. He was a distant second to Godolphin's Man Of Promise (Into Mischief) in the six-furlong G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint at Meydan on Mar. 5. Gary Devlin's 4-year-old colt captured the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp on Oct. 3 and was a good fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 6. He made his 4-year-old bow a...

The McMurray Family's Happy Romance (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), who ran third in the 1400-metre G3 1351 Turf Sprint in Riyadh on Feb. 26, is pointing to the 1200-metre G1 Al Quoz Sprint on Mar. 26, according to trainer Richard Hannon. A winner of the G3 Hackwood S. last July, the bay filly ran fourth in the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup S. on Sept. 4 and tired to 11th in the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint S. on Oct. 16. Hannon said, "Happy Romance ran a blinder in Riyadh. She...

Saturday's G3 Winter Derby hero Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) exited the race in good order and will target the $6-million G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Mar. 26. Trainer William Haggas was pleased by the 4-year-old colt's performance, which broke the Lingfield course record for 1 1/4 miles. A winner of the G3 Classic Trial S. at Sandown in April and the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot, Alenquer then completed the trifecta in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris in July and went one better in...

It was a Godolphin exacta in the G3 Dubai Millennium S. at Meydan on Friday as Royal Fleet (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a paternal grandson of the race's namesake, defeated last year's winner Star Safari (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) by a short head. Away without incident, which could not be said for the slow-starting Lucius Tiberius (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), the Charlie Appleby trainee was aggressive as the field left the short chute and found an ideal position in a pressing second as Marie's Diamond (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) cut out the...

'Express' Hoping For a Rebound in Blue Point Sprint The 1000-metre G2 Blue Point Sprint features the return of Acklam Express (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who was a good second in the Mar. 6 G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint last year and third in the Mar. 27 G1 Al Quoz Sprint. Off the board in two races when returning to the UK including a 10th in the June 15 G1 King's Stand S., the bay appears after a lengthy break and trainer Nigel Tinkler is hoping for a reversal of...

Undefeated Colts Square Off In UAE 2000 Guineas If Mohammed Khaleel Ahmed's undefeated Bendoog (Gun Runner) takes Friday's 1600-metre G3 UAE 2000 Guineas, the bay colt will become his sire's 10th black-type winner and sixth at the graded/group level. Gun Runner--the Horse of the Year and Three Chimneys stallion who was champion first-season sire in America last year-ran second to Arrogate in the 2017 G1 Dubai World Cup. One of two in the race for his owner along with Bhupat Seemar stablemate and winner Conglomerate (Ire) (Central Banker), Bendoog faces...

Group 1 winner Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) is targeting the G1 Dubai Turf on Mar. 26. Trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam, the chestnut won both her starts at two, including the G3 Oh So Sharp S. She resumed last April with a second in the G3 Nell Gwyn S. and was runner-up to Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the G1 1000 Guineas on May 2. Off the board in the G1 Oaks and G1 Falmouth S. in June and July, respectively, the Sangster family and J. Wigan colourbearer...

Morning action at Meydan continued apace on Tuesday, with several Dubai World Cup night contenders stretching their legs just a few days before the blockbuster nine-race card on Saturday. Last year's JRA Champion Dirt Horse and G1 Champions Cup hero Chuwa Wizard (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), who goes for the $12-million Dubai World Cup, galloped over the dirt track on Tuesday morning with regular pilot Keita Tosaki in the irons. He was ninth in the Saudi Cup in February. "He has trained well so far," said Tosaki. "The trainer told...

Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) is in good form ahead of a start in the $5-million G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Mar. 27. Last seen in action taking the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin in December, the Coolmore partners-owned 4-year-old also saluted in the 2020 G3 Gordon S. at Goodwood in July, ran second in the Aug. 19 Great Voltigeur S. and returned to the winner's circle in the G1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp in September. Fifth in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup...

Star Safari (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) gave trainer Charlie Appleby his third and final win on the card in the G3 Dubai Millennium S. after the earlier success of Bright Melody (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the second race and Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Listed Meydan Classic. Removed from the early cavalry charge, Star Safari raced last bar two as Halimi (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) motored along at the head of affairs. He began to slowly take closer order 500 metres from home and launched a four-wide bid...