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Gayego Leads Charge

Action returns to the new Meydan with eight interesting races highlighted by the Al Shindaga Sprint at the state-of-the-art facility on Thursday.

With the progress of the Dubai International Racing Carnival, trainers are saddling the cream of their horses in preparation for the tough challenge on the big night of the 15^th running of Dubai World Cup in six-week time.

Gayego under Lanfranco Dettori will lead the charge of the Godolphin powerful stables in the 1200m Al Shindaga Sprint Gr-3 which attracted quality field of 12 runners rated 100+.

The five-year-old son of Geldid Time was a leading sprinter in the US last year, He ended his campaign with a fine fourth on Pro-Ride in the six-furlong Grade One Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on November 7, 2009 when he went down by a short head. In October, Gayego showed a terrific turn of foot to land the Grade One Ancient Title Stakes over the same course and distance.

Last season Gayego beat the Saudi sprinter Big City Man in the 1200m Mahab Al Shimaal Gr-3 at Nad Al Sheba on dirt on the Super Thursday. But he did not go for the immediate target Dubai Golden Shaheen on the Dubai World Cup night. Instead, the connections sent Gayego to the Godolphin Mile Gr-2 where he took second behind stable-mate Two Step Salsa. Ironically, Big City Man defeated the American filly Indian Blessing to win the Dubai Golden Shahhen Gr-1.

A strong UK challenge includes the Jeremy Noseda-trained Strike The Deal who emerged from the doldrums at the end of the European season, as well as Sir Gerry, already a course and distance winner for John Best. With War Artist a fine third in the Abbaye on Arc Day in France also declared, the UK appear to be well represented. Of those trained locally, Rashed Bouresly’s Star Crowned and the Doug Watson-trained Musaalem make the most appeal.

The main support race is the UAE 1000 Guineas, the first classic of the UAE season, in which De Kock’s Raihana is sure to be a popular Pick Seven selection after her impressive win in the trial race on the first night of the Carnival. The opposition is headed by the Godolphin team with Frankie Dettori riding Group One winner Ishitaki on her local debut.

It looks a good renewal of the race with last year’s winning trainer Jerry Barton with So Shiny saddling Mensajera De La Luz, a Group One winner in Chile. She has to be respected, as well as Pascal Bary’s Opera Comica, Talenta from Brazil and Silver Grey from the UK. The latter pair both ran well behind Raihana in the trial, as did Saudi Arabia’s Waasemah.

The two turf races are intriguing handicaps with Carnival regulars Quijano and Mourilyan clashing in the first, over 2485m, on what appears the best night thus far of the 2010 Dubai International Racing Carnival.

Races start at 6.30pm and pick-seven competition counts from race two to race eight. The double tri-cast will combine races three and four, five and six plus seven and eight.

KT Selections

Race 2: Horse No. (1) Otaared

Race 3: Horse No. (11) Highlight Glen

Race 4: Horse No. (3) Lizard’s Desire

Race 5: Horse No. (4) Raihana

Race 6: Horse No. (2) Gayego

Race 7: Horse No. (1) Quijano

Race 8: Horse No. (10) Autonomy.

Day’s Best: Gayego