Super test for Musir in Challenge

The UAE Derby winner Musir will face the toughest test of his career so far as the four-year-old Australian-bred lines up against the elder and more experienced opponents in the third and final leg

of the Al Maktoum Challenge (Gr-2) at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday.

Musir will be run instead of the Dubai World Cup (Group-1) 7-2 favourite Bold Silvano who will be heading directly for the big event on big night. The South African trainer Mike De Kock who will also field the reborn star Golden Sword in the world’s richest horse race said: “Bold Silvano will now have to go to the World Cup without another run but that is no great issue as he was very fit and well before this minor setback.”

Bold Silvano was reportedly ruled out of the race with a bruised foot, but De Kock downplayed the affair saying that there’s nothing serious and he will just miss a few days.

Meanwhile, Godolphin is represented by four runners in the 10-furlong Tapeta contest. Saeed bin Suroor has declared Prince Bishop, while Debussy, Etched and Eavesdropper line up for Mahmood Al Zarooni.

Twice Over, Richard’s Kid and Gitano Hernando return to Meydan with the same one objective in mind, and that’s to improve over teir respective last year’s form when disappointed behind Brazilian champion Gloria De Campeao.

Gitano Hernando makes his seasonal debut under Johnny Murtagh after having finished poor fifth to Bold Silvano in a 1900m handicap contest last month.

But, the Satish Seemar-trained Richard’s Kid who finished seventh in last year’s cup enjoyed a lovely racing season in the UAE after winning two Grade-1 races and finished respectable third in a Grade-1 and Grade-3 contests. All four appearances were made on the All-Weather tracks at Delmar and Hollywood Park.

Saeed bin Suroor has a strong hand in the nine-furlong Group Two Jebel Hatta Sponsored By Emirates Airline on the turf, with Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Poet’s Voice declared alongside stable-companion Shakespearean.

A trio of Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained horses contest the turf Group Two Dubai City Of Gold Sponsored By Emirates Airline over 12 furlongs - Calvados Blues, Monterosso and Simon De Montfort.

Mendip, who was the impressive winner of Round One of the Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan on January 13, takes his chance for Saeed bin Suroor alongside stable-companion Sangaree in the Group Three Burj Nahaar Sponsored By Emirates Airline over a mile on Tapeta.

Godolphin is also well represented in Thursday’s big sprint, the Group Three Mahab Al Shimaal Sponsored By Emirates Airline over six furlongs on Tapeta. Global City and Bank Merger represent Saeed bin Suroor while Mahmood Al Zarooni has declared Rileyskeepingfaith.

Pick seven competition

The pick seven competition goes from race 2 thorugh race 8, and the double tri-cast combines races 3 & 4, 5 & 6 and 7 & 8, while the treble tri-cast goes from race 6 through 8.

The total amount of prize-money to be won by the public is in the tune of Dh450.000.

KT Selections: 2. Bridgefield/ Reem 3. Prohibit/ Invincible Ash 4. Bankable/ Global City 5. MendipCrowded House 6. Calvados Blues/ Marinous 7. Gitano Hernando/ Richard’s Kid 8. Presvis/ Steele Tango Day’s best: Presvis

hisham@khaleejtimes.com