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Gio Ponti is in Good Shape, Says Lorieul

DUBAI - Gio Ponti’s assistant trainer Christophe Lorieul said the connections are delighted with the way the horse settled in Dubai and they are looking forward to see him landing the Dubai World Cup on Saturday.

“He enjoyed the trip from the US and came out in good shape. He’s training well and handling the Tapeta surface very easily,” the Frenchman said who’s also riding Gio Ponti in his morning work-out.

Sources close to the horse’s connections told Khaleej Times that the trainer is unbiased about the chances of his horse to put his head first on the finish line.

“Gio Ponti should have won the Breeders’ Cup Classic very easily but he was only unlucky. Zenyatta came from the outside at a time when jockey Dominquez believed that he was a winner and this what has made the difference. The filly was full of running while Gio Ponti began to slow down close home,” the sources said.

Meanwhile, American trainer Bob Baffert was quoted as saying the Tapeta surface of Meydan suited Richard’s Kid who touched down here last Friday to line up for the $10m Dubai World Cup.

“The track is very similar to the Delmar surface where my horse has won the Pacific Classic (Grade 1) on the Polytrack. I think this is a very good and encouraging sign,” Bob was quoted by his assistants as saying.

Richard’s Kid will face few of his earlier conquerors including front runner Gio Ponti, Gitano Hernando and Twice Over. While some of the trainers spoke with much confidence about the chances of their horses to win, Italian trainer Luca Cumani said there’s nothing easy in horse racing.

Speaking about the chances of Presvis to go one better over his last year’s form when second behind Gladiatorus in the $5m Dubai Duti Free, Cumani said there’s nothing for sure.

“The field is very competitive,” Cumani told Khaleej Times after Monday’s morning work-out. “He’s doing very well and I’m truly happy with him, but only God knows what will happen on Saturday night,” he said.

Presvis will face tough opposition from the Hong Kong raider Good Baba. The two horses didn’t meet together in one particular race, but both were beaten by the same horse Collection in the Cathy Pacific Hong Kong Cup and the Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup (Group-1).

But, this does not mean that it’s going to be a two-horse race. It’s true that the American horses which pose the immediate threat to Presvis and Good Baba have never won a turf race, this time things could change. Courageous Cat, who has never run a bad race, will be difficult to rule out.

hisham@khaleejtimes.com