Ever wondered what $9.7million might get you for your money? Sheikh Mohammed has probably never had to consider it but he does have something to show just what that jaw-dropping sum can buy.
He is called Jalil and the sheikh wrote out the cheque - probably one of those that come printed with the space for the extra zeros – when he bought the colt at Keeneland Sales in September 2005.
As the most expensive yearling ever to set hoof on a racecourse in Britain, he looked the part for his debut, at Newmarket 13 months later. Sadly handsome looks have never won a horserace and Jalil finished sixth. He has won four of his 11 starts but, with career earnings of £164,375, he is some way shy of the break-even point.
The £74,074 on offer for the Group Three Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan tonight will not make much difference to the deficit but Jalil is Frankie Dettori’s pick from the three Godolphin runners saddled by Saeed bin Suroor along with Allybar and Calvados Blues. “Jalil has been working well and is in good form at the moment,” Bin Suroor said. “He has shown that he has the ability to run well in races like this in the past and I am hopeful that he can post another good performance. He is ready to race and looks in good condition at the moment but he will improve on whatever he does on Thursday.
"I was really pleased with the way Allybar won on his first start of the year and he came out of that race in great order. We know that he likes the surface and the distance and I am looking forward to seeing him run another nice race.
"Calvados Blues ran some good races in France last season against some tough opposition. He has been working well and I have been pleased with his preparation for this race. I don't think that he will have a problem with racing on Tapeta and the extended nine furlongs should suit him well.”
Godolphin runners seem to have been suited to the new Meydan track but they may struggle to make much of an impact in this race. Musabah Al Muhairi’s Snaafy also represents the locals and he was a big hit on the dirt track at Nad Al Sheba last year.
He won three of his four starts, including the Group Three Burj Nahaar, but may have had his limitations (or stamina) exposed when trailing in behind Well Armed in the World Cup last March.
He switched to turf for his first run at Meydan and won a handicap from a mark of 116 and comes into this race as the highest-rated of the 13 runners on 119. His jockey, Richard Hills, said: “He didn’t stop improving last year on the dirt and has shown he can handle turf with a Carnival win already. If he’s to be a Dubai World Cup contender again, he’s to prove himself on the surface so this is his chance.”
Crowded House has a few things to prove, with his ability to act on the synthetic surface only one of them. It is 16 months since Crowded House dropped his calling card in the big-time by winning the Group One Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster and a variety of problems have restricted him to just three runs since. It is quite possible to explain his two rather lacklustre runs in both the Dante Stakes and the Derby and he probably needed both the run and a faster gallop when he made his Meydan debut in a turf race behind Alexandros two weeks ago.
This size of field should provide the sort of gallop that will allow Crowded House the chance to express his talents and give his trainer, Brian Meehan, and jockey, Jamie Spencer, a clearer idea of whether to aim for the Dubai World Cup or a turf alternative. “We need to plan for World Cup night and decide his target so we need a run on the Tapeta,” Meehan said.
"I am not certain Crowded House will like the Tapeta and Jamie also has reservations about it but we feel we need to let him try it," Meehan said. “We were very pleased with the way he ran behind Alexandros. I thought he would need the race and I think he will come on again for this. However, Patrick MacEwan, our assistant, reports he is in very good form and I am looking forward to seeing how he gets on.”
Mike de Kock has been getting on with business as usual, which for him is winning races. Champion South African two-year-old Musir had to overcome a Group One penalty when he won here a fortnight ago. If he can now overcome a wide draw he should win the Group Three UAE 2000 Guineas while Leahurst – from the in-form Jeremy Noseda yard - can win the Aqlaam Handicap.
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