Bhupat will trade championship glory for Dubai World Cup success

Zabeel Stables boss saddles eleven contenders across the nine-race card on Saturday

by Leslie Wilson Jr

Published: Mon 25 Mar 2024, 9:14 PM

Bhupat Seemar had a dream start to his career when he won the UAE trainer’s championship in his very first season, but the master of Zabeel Stables says winning a ‘race or two’ on Dubai World Cup night means a lot more to him and his team.

Bhupat is preparing a strong string of 11 runners for this weekend’s meeting at Meydan, a day on which the race for the trainer’s championship could also be decided.

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However, Bhupat, is not thinking too much about the championship. Instead he is focused on ensuring that his runners turn up in the March 30 season finale in the best possible condition.

“Well if that happens (winning the championship) that would be great but I haven’t thought about it at all that much really,” he told Khaleej Times on Monday.

“Now that we’ve gone close we do think about it once in a while. But if I can win a race or two on World Cup night I can willingly give up the championship.”

Jebel Ali Stakes second season handler Michael Costa has been locked in an intense battle for the championship and currently holds the slender lead.

But for the moment, Bhupat is keeping his mind on Saturday where he travels to Meydan with an eleven-strong posse of horses headed by $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) hope Laurel River.

The former champion also aims three very exciting sprinters at the $2million Dubai Golden Shaheen, a race that he won in his debut season in 2022 with Switzerland, and has representative across most of the races on the nine-race card.

He's been winning trophies all season long, now Bhupat wants the big one. — KT file

Laurel River announced himself as a genuine contender for the Meydan showpiece when he romped home a six and three-quarter length winner of the Burj Nahar, a major prep race on Super Saturday, the dress-rehearsal for the Dubai World Cup.

That was over a mile. However, the lightly-raced son of Into Mischief has been asked to prove his ability over an extra two furlongs and in much higher company.

“The way he won the mile he was very impressive and wasn’t stopping,” Bhupat said.

”His pedigree suggests that he should, but with any horse you will never know the answer if you don’t try.

“I never run any horse in any race unless I think they have a good chance,” he added.

“People ask me this all the time. The reason we’re running them is because we think they can win. You have to throw them in the deep end and see how good they are.

“They can show you all they want at home but they have to go and do it on the track on race day,” said Bhupat.

“When I Juddmonte Farms' sent me Laurel River I knew every little bit about the horse. I knew he had won some seven furlong races and even his previous trainer, Bob Baffert, thought he could be a sprinter because he’s such a deceiving horse,

“We put him in a sprint first up because we were aware than any class horse should be able to sprint. But he did not. Tadhg (O”Shea) felt that he needed the race because he was running after a gap of over 500 days,” he added.

“But then in his next race he really showed us what he is capable of.”

Bhupat, who spent nearly five years sharpening his skills under the wing of US Hall of Fame handler Baffert in California, finds himself competing against his former boss who also has a runner in the Dubai World Cup with Newgate.

“Sometimes you have to run against your ex-bosses but he must be proud of it too that Laurel River is now mixing it up with the best, it’s very exciting," he added.

Bhupat is also looking forward to challenging for a maiden UAE Derby (G2) victory with the ‘exciting’ Guns And Glory, Killer Collect and Mendelson Say.

“Guns And Glory is a big, big horse who is improving all the time,” he said. “He’s a horse that excites you as he's heading on the right trajectory.

“Mendelson Bay is a little quirky but he’s another horse that is getting better and better.

“Killer Collect is an immensely talented horse. Whatever he’s going to do this year he’s going to be an incredible horse next year,” added Bhupat.

“He’s almost 17 hands tall and he’s just a big bull of a horse. He’s got the natural speed and he’s also got the natural stamina If all goes well he should run well. All three of them should run well!”

Whichever way the dice rolls for champion elect Bhupat on Dubai World Cup day, he says he will take what comes.

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