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Horse racing: Stars out in force at Super Saturday

No less than five former winners at the Meydan spectacle are returning to defend their crowns

Super Saturday, the official dress rehearsal for the $30.5 million Dubai World Cup meeting, traditionally boasts one of the most attractive race cards in the UAE racing season and this year’s renewal of the nine-event extravaganza will be no different.

No less than five former winners at the Meydan spectacle are returning to defend their crowns including the Bahraini-raider Salute The Soldier in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3, (Sponsored by Emirates Airline), a recognised prep for the Dubai World Cup and the ageless Lord Glitters in the G1 Jebel Hatta (Sponsored by Emirates Airline), a lead-up race to the $5million Dubai Turf, on the same March 26 card.

Trained by Fawzi Nass, Salute The Soldier will bid to become the first horse to win the race two years in a row but standing in his way are some of the UAE’s best dirt horses.

Another interesting runner is G2 Godolphin Mile’s third Avant Garde, who makes his second start for in-form trainer Bhupat Seemar.

“He’s a giant horse and a mile is too short for him anyway,” said Seemar. “The way he ran in the Godolphin Mile… he came from last in the straight and flew home. He was eating up the ground so you’d think he’s a mile and quarter horse.”

Seemar is mob-handed in the race with five hopefuls including course and distance winner Remorse, who was second in the G3 Jebel Ali Mile last time out.

“Remorse is doing really well, he’s got so much speed,” said the Zabeel Stables handler.

Seemar will be busy saddling up three runners in the G3 Burj Nahaar (Sponsored by Emirates SkyCargo) with Tuz, Royal Mews, and Imperial Empire taking on the likes of 2021 G3 UAE 2000 Guineas winner Mouheeb and the very exciting Golden Goal, an impressive winner of Round 1 of the Al Maktoum Challenge.

Lord Glitters, an imposing nine-year-old trained by David O’Meara in the UK looks all the rage in he G1 Jebel Hatta (Sponsored by Emirates Airline), over 1800metres on turf; but he faces some stiff opposition from Godolphin’s four-time Group 1 winner Barney Roy, who won this race in 2020.

“Barney Roy has enjoyed a nice break since Bahrain when he put up a good performance behind Lord Glitters,” said the reigning British Champion Trainer. “He looks great and his preparation has gone well.”

Appleby also saddles Zakouski, a smart winner of the Singspiel Stakes.

The Derby-winning Godolphin handler relies on course and distance winner Global Storm as he bids to add to his four-win streak in the G2 Dubai City Of Gold (Sponsored by Emirates Skywards) over 2410metres on turf.

The ante-post favourite on the international markets is Hukum, a G3 winner in the UK last year while Without A Fight warrants attention on the back of his Listed stakes victory at Newmarket.

Saturday’s card also features two promising sprint races, the G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (Sponsored by Emirates SkyCargo). Where Appleby once again appears to have strong with the dual course and distance winner Man Of Promise, the appeal is for Emaraaty Ana, winner of the G1 Sprint Cup at Haydock last year.

Saeed bin Suroor is at his best at Meydan and the all-conquering Godolphin handler sends out defending champion Final Song for her seasonal debut.

The second sprint on the card is the concluding G3 Mahab Al Shimaal (Sponsored by Emirates Airline) which is the prep for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen.

Last year’s winner Canvassed takes on stable companion and Group 3 winner Al Tariq, while the Charlie Fellowes-trained Ejtilaab will attempt to improve upon his noteworthy fifth in the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint last time.

The Listed Al Bastakiya (Sponsored by Emirates Holidays), which is the prep for the G2 UAE Derby could go to the Bhupat Seemar-trained Bendoog, who was a good fourth in the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas on his last start.

Guineas’ third Quality Boone, trained by Antonio Cintra, and the Doug O’Neill-trained Get Back Goldie are also ones to watch.

The card opens with the G1 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (Sponsored by Arabian Adventures) for Purebred Arabians, where the leading players look to be last outing winner Rajeh and Iridesse who was placed in a Group 3 event in the US last December.