Godolphin entries to counter competition from De Kock trainees and Derbaas in the Al Maktoum Challenge on 12th January at Meydan
There are twelve horses in all that will be participating for the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1, sponsored by Etisalat, on 12th January, at the Meydan Racecourse, with three horses from Godolphin and two from De Kock.
The potential lineup declared by Godolphin earlier had twenty entries in it.
They have brought the amount down to three, and now have Saeed bin Suroor trained Mendip, along with Mahmood Al Zrooni’s trainees, Secrecy and Xin Xu Lin.
They are in for some really tough competition that will be put on by De Kock’s duo, Musir and Master of Hounds.
The six-year-old Musir has raced six times during the 2011 season, and was ridden by Christophe Soumillon, besides just one instance when Pat Cosgrave rode him.
He was second in the Grade 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 on 3rd March, 2011, at Meydan.
On 25th April, 2011, Musir came third in the Grade 1 BMW Champions Mile at Sha Tin in Hong Kong.
He then came third in the Grade 2 CGA Hungerford Stakes at Newbury on 13th August.
He won the Grade 2 International Topkapi Trophy at Veliefendi on 4th September, 2011.
The four-year-old Master of Hounds only raced thrice in 2011, but his most significant achievement with regard to the Al Maktoum Challenge is that he came second in the Grade 2 UAE Derby, sponsored by The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah.
He lost the victory to Saeed bin Suroor’s Khawlah, while coupled with Ryan Moore, Master of Hounds got nosed out.
Another opponent from the Godolphin entries remain to stay at guard is the six-year-old, Derbaas, who had a four-race winning streak at Meydan, beginning from 25th November, 2010, to 17th February, 2011, including
the Grade 2 Al Fahidi, sponsored by Commercial Bank of Dubai.
Derbaas’s most recent race was held on 5th January, 2012, the Al Rashidiya Trial, presented by Longines, where he was driven third by M Kock trained Mahbooba, who won the race, being the 11 to 8 favourite.
The two entries from M Kock can also be a little difficult to get away from as their stable mate has just struck one of the most prominent victories at the Dubai World Cup Carnival 2012.
How fruitful did it prove for Godolphin to move ahead with three entries in the Al Maktoum Challenge on 12th January is yet to be disclosed?
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