Heavy Metal tipped to repeat last year’s win

Dubai - A 9-year-old gelded son of Exceed and Excel is seeking to emulate Le Bernardin

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's Sandeep Jadhav-trained Heavy Metal will look to repeat his last year's win  when he takes off from Gate 7 in the $350,000 Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 in  Thursday's second meeting of the 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival at the Meydan Racecourse.
A 9-year-old gelded son of Exceed and Excel, Heavy Metal is seeking to emulate Le Bernardin, winner of the 1600m dirt feature in both 2006 and 2007 and the only dual winner of a race established in 1994. He would also become the joint oldest winner alongside Barbecue Eddie who landed the spoils in 2013. Seeking a ninth Meydan dirt success and eighth over this 1600m, Heavy Metal ended the last campaign with a smooth success in the Godolphin Mile (G2) - then with Ryan Moore in the saddle  on the Dubai World Cup card.
"He is in very good form at home and we are looking forward to getting him back on the track," Jadhav said. "A lower draw would have been nice in a strong race, but these are his optimum conditions and we are very hopeful."
Unraced since failing to break and losing all chance early in the Dubai World Cup, North America, the Satish Seemar-trained 7-year-old Dubawi gelding, is again making his return, with Richard Mullen  atop, in this one-mile spot.
Assistant trainer Bhupat Seemar said: "He is ready for a run and in great form at home, but this is a trip on the short side for him and he is going to improve for the outing. Basically this is the first step towards his bigger targets later in the season, but he is certainly in good shape."
Heavy Metal's most recent defeat was on Super Saturday behind Watson-trained Kimbear in the Burj Nahaar (G3) over this trip. Five weeks ago, the 5-year-old Temple City horse was third behind stable companion Drafted,in the 1200m Garhoud Sprint (Listed). Watson has a third bow to his string in deep-closing Etijaah, also wearing the Shadwell blue and white as Muntazah. "All three are really in great shape," Watson enthused.  
Charlie Appleby saddles the Godolphin's Gold Town, a winner of the UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) over this trip last year. The 4-year-old Street Cry gelding has not been seen in public since finishing a distant fourth in the 1900m UAE Derby (G2) behind Mendelssohn. "We took a decision to save him for Dubai and this race was always the first target," Appleby said. "He has been working well and this should tell us where we stand with him, because it looks a good renewal."
Completing the Al Maktoum Challenge R1 field are Simon Crisford-trained African Ride, making his surface debut with a pedigree that bodes well for such, as well as deep-closing South Korean import Dolkong and former Roger Varian trainee Masaarr (no, not that one), who tries dirt for the first time and has been in the care of Nicholas Bachalard.
A new turf conditions race for 3-year-olds, the 1400m Dubai Trophy has proved a welcome addition and attracted the maximum allowed field of 16.