Romantic Warrior in Dubai debut

PLEASE NOTE = For RACES 6 and 7: mark VENUE OVAL 17 for Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella and Swinger bets ONLY. For ALL OTHER BETS on ALL races, mark VENUE OVAL 14.

* * Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella, Swinger RACES 6 & 7, mark VENUE OVAL 17.

* * All other bets on this meeting RACES 1 to 9, mark VENUE OVAL 14.

Ed Marnane

Hong Kong champion and nine-time Group 1 winner Romantic Warrior starts his Middle East campaign in the Jebel Hatta at Meydan on Friday, setting up a mouth-watering clash with Charlie Appleby’s Measured Time in the Group 1 event on a star-studded nine-race card.

Globe-trotting Romantic Warrior, trained by Danny Shum, is proven on the world stage, winning the Cox Plate, in Australia, in 2023, before defeating the cream of the Japanese milers in the Yasuda Kinen last year. He arrived in Dubai last month, nine days after winning the Hong Kong Cup for a third successive year.

Romantic Warrior, the world’s highest-earning racehorse, worked nicely under regular pilot, James McDonald, at Meydan on Tuesday morning. He will take plenty of beating chasing a 10th victory at the highest level, despite his trainer warning he’s not fully fit and will improve for the race ahead of a tilt at the Saudi Cup next month.

Measured Time, winner of three of his four starts at Meydan, holds strong claims and is Romantic Warrior’s chief threat following his eye-catching victory in the Al Rashidiya.

That display, off a 118-day break, deserves to be upgraded as the son of Frankel broke Just A Way’s longstanding track record, a performance that raised eyebrows given the rail on the turf track was out 8m.

All eyes will be on Laurel River, the wide-margin winner of the Dubai World Cup last March, on his seasonal debut in Race 4, the Firebreak Stakes (Group 3). Owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms, he faces nine rivals in the 1600m event and can advertise his claims in the Saudi Cup, the world’s richest race, in Riyadh.

Bhupat Seemar’s stable star, who was ranked Longines World’s Best Racehorse for 2024 alongside City Of Troy, is ideally drawn in stall No 4 for a horse that likes to attack from the front.

Race 6, Round II of the Al Maktoum Challenge, the second Group 1 on the card, sees last year’s winner, Kabirkhan, return to defend his title for Doug Watson.

Winner of two of his three races since joining Watson at Red Stables, he returns after a lengthy break and is entitled to need the race, while stable jockey Pat Dobbs has chosen to ride stable companion Clapton.

Third in last year’s renewal, Clapton should be sharper for his recent comeback and is one to consider if he can rediscover his best form of last season.

In an open-looking race, French challenge Facteur Cheval is an interesting runner on his seasonal/dirt debut for trainer Jerome Reynier. He is a smart performer and enjoyed the biggest success of his career in Dubai, winning the Dubai Turf (Group 1) 10 months ago.

The ability to act on dirt is a big query and his pedigree doesn’t inspire confidence, being by Ribchester, a sire not renowned for dirt winners. However, he has the services of Mickael Barzalona, a top rider on dirt at Meydan, and he should be in the mix if handling the conditions.

Of the rest, talented but tricky Walk Of Stars enters calculations for Seemar. Tadhg O’Shea’s mount snapped a frustrating run of seconds when running out a comfortable winner (made all) of the Entisar Stakes last month. He arrives in good heart and has sound claims of following up.

Jamie Osborne’s Heart Of Honor has thrived since switched to dirt and is a leading player in Race 2, the UAE 2000 Guineas. He has impressed in a minor event, finding plenty under pressure when defeating reopposing Royal Favour and nine others.

He will improve going up to 1600m and is the horse to beat in the Group 3 event.

Lightly raced Royal Favour, trained by in-form Simon and Ed Crisford, shaped nicely behind Heart Of Honor, his first start on dirt at Meydan. He has been done no favours with the draw and jumping from the widest stall in No 16, he looks up against it.

Unbeaten Giustino, 3-3 in Argentina, is the highest ranked runner in the field with a lofty mark of 109. He has progressed stepping up in distance, producing a career-high over a mile in the Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos (Group 1).

He commands respect on his UAE debut returning from a near five-month break for new trainer Julio Olascoaga.

At decent odds Golden Vekoma, pick of the local challenge, could reward each-way support in the hands of Connor Beasley, the season’s top rider. He built on a pleasing debut behind Heart Of Honor when defeating Nimble Boy and Rammayy in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial.

He travelled strongly and readily quickened clear off the hometurn to open his account in facile fashion.

Godolphin’s progressive and unexposed Native Approach makes plenty of appeal in Race 3, the Al Fahidi Fort. Trained by Appleby, he caught the eye on his UAE debut last month, winning the Business Bay Challenge, over the same course and distance.

Under a well-timed ride from William Buick, he was delivered fast and late to score by 0.75 lengths from San Donato, clocking a sizzling 22.20sec for the final 400m. He rates a good bet and can provide Appleby with his seventh win in eight years.

In Race 8, the Al Shindagha Sprint, Tuz is impossible to oppose. Seemar’s crack dirt sprinter, winner of the Dubai Golden Shaheen 10 months ago, has not been out of second gear in two starts this winter, easily winning the Al Garhoud Sprint and the Dubawi Stakes.

Watson’s consistent and reliable Colour Up can follow Tuz home, once again, in a race few hold solid claims.

Racing closes with the Al Khail Trophy (Group 3), a pointer for the Dubai Gold Cup later in the season. The race, over 2810m on turf, is a competitive event and James McDonald is an eye-catching booking for Michael Costa’s lightly raced stayer Keffaaf, replacing regular rider Ben Coen.

He ran well when a close third behind Epic Poet and King Of Conquest in a conditions race, over the same course and distance, three weeks ago. It’s hard to split the trio, but Keffaaf is fancied to take a step forward and reverse the form, and record the biggest win of his career.

He’s progressing nicely and is ideally berthed in stall one, so should enjoy a ground-saving trip under the talented McDonald.

Best Bet: Native Approach (Race 3)

Best Value: Golden Vekoma (Race 2)

Best Swinger: 3-Cover Up and 1-Ponntos (Race 5)

JACKPOT

(Races 6-9)

R16

Leg 1: 5, 10

Leg 2: 4, 7

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 3, 7, 8, 10