Mike De Kock and Godolphin entries prominent in the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort on 16th February at Meydan
The Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort sponsored by Al Tayer Motors will be raced over a mile by a highly competitive lineup of thirteen. Mike De Kock is saddling Master Of Hounds and Viscount Nelson while the Godolphin trainers’ pair has three entries. Saeed bin Suroor is represented by Rio De La Plata and Do It All while Mahmood Al Zarooni will try his luck with Time Prisoner.
"This is a race we have done well in but I am probably hopeful rather than confident this year. Viscount Nelson is probably going to be better over further but he bruised a foot and missed a race and some work so this looks a good place to bring him back. Master Of Hounds is a big brute of a horse and I do not think he was as fit as we hoped before last week's run”, said the trainer, Mike De Kock.
Master Of Hounds, Kingmambo’s four-year-old bay colt out of Silk And Scarlet, has been placed in both the starts that he made during the new season. He scored second in the Group 3 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 on 12th January.
His next start culminated a third ranking in the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 on 9th February. Master Of Hounds was entered as a 6/4 favourite.
The trainer M De Kock has emphasized that Master Of Hounds needs more drilling and preparation before the race and for that his schedule has been redesigned so that he works as much as is possible for him before the race and thus is up for the challenge.
De Kock trained five-year-old brown horse, Viscount Nelson last raced on 20th January in the Swaidan Trading Company Peugeot and finished second on the field of eight striving for the wire.
"He won well first time and was not beaten far on his second start for us. This is a big step up in class but we are hoping the extra furlong will be in his favour," commented the trainer, Mahmood Al Zarooni.
The five-year-old grey horse, Time Prisoner trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni has made two starts already during the 2012 season. He won the seasonal debut in the Longines Saint Imier Collection Handicap and was entered as a 11/8 favourite right in his next start. On 26th January, his second start of the season, Time Prisoner finished third in the Dubai Duty Free Handicap.
Saeed bin Suroor trained Rio De La Plata, has not gone below the third position during his last four starts with the last three being a string of second positions. He will be up for his 2012 seasonal debut having last raced on 6th November 2011.
His other entry in the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort is the five-year-old bay horse, Do It All.
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